Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

41.6K
Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.
41.6K
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

121.1K
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
121.1K
Hardy-Weinberg Principle01:49

Hardy-Weinberg Principle

74.6K
Diploid organisms have two alleles of each gene, one from each parent, in their somatic cells. Therefore, each individual contributes two alleles to the gene pool of the population. The gene pool of a population is the sum of every allele of all genes within that population and has some degree of variation. Genetic variation is typically expressed as a relative frequency, which is the percentage of the total population that has a given allele, genotype or phenotype.
74.6K
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

60.3K
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
60.3K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

33.0K
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
33.0K
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

570
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
570

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Counting Rankings of Tree-Child Networks.

Bulletin of mathematical biology·2026
Same author

Predicting the depth of the most recent common ancestor of a random sample of k species: the impact of phylogenetic tree shape.

Journal of mathematical biology·2026
Same author

A Dichotomy Law for Certain Classes of Phylogenetic Networks.

Bulletin of mathematical biology·2025
Same author

The Asymptotic Distribution of the <i>k</i>-Robinson-Foulds Dissimilarity Measure on Labeled Trees.

Journal of computational biology : a journal of computational molecular cell biology·2025
Same author

Surprising effects of differential loss in genome evolution: the last-one-out.

FEMS microbiology letters·2025
Same author

Asymptotic Enumeration of Normal and Hybridization Networks via Tree Decoration.

Bulletin of mathematical biology·2025
Same journal

RNA-ligand complexes and the attenuation of neutral confinement in the evolution of RNA secondary structures.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Individual detachment-reintegration events in homing pigeon flocks and the dominance of directional adjustment in their kinematic features.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Thermal stress disrupts symbiotic fluid dynamics in bobtail squid.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Distinct geometrical landscapes distinguish between modes of tristability in gene regulatory networks.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Slow modulation of the contraction patterns in Physarum polycephalum.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Moo-ving mountains: grazing agents drive terracette formation on steep hillslopes.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 26, 2025

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

1.1K

An evolutionary process without variation and selection.

Liane Gabora1, Mike Steel2

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna British Columbia, Canada.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
|July 27, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Early life and cultural evolution show adaptive change by retaining acquired traits, unlike Darwinian evolution. This suggests a lower-fidelity process called self-other reorganization (SOR) drives cumulative change in these domains.

Keywords:
autocatalytic networkcultural evolutionevolutionorigin of lifesocial learning

More Related Videos

Mutagenesis and Functional Selection Protocols for Directed Evolution of Proteins in E. coli
09:01

Mutagenesis and Functional Selection Protocols for Directed Evolution of Proteins in E. coli

Published on: March 16, 2011

30.8K
Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

14.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 26, 2025

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

1.1K
Mutagenesis and Functional Selection Protocols for Directed Evolution of Proteins in E. coli
09:01

Mutagenesis and Functional Selection Protocols for Directed Evolution of Proteins in E. coli

Published on: March 16, 2011

30.8K
Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

14.7K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Systems biology
  • Developmental biology

Background:

  • Darwinian natural selection explains adaptive change by eliminating acquired traits each generation.
  • Domains like early life and cultural evolution exhibit cumulative adaptive change where acquired traits are retained.
  • This retention challenges traditional evolutionary theory, as germ cells are typically protected from environmental influences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mechanisms behind cumulative adaptive change in domains where acquired traits are retained.
  • To propose an alternative evolutionary process to natural selection for these specific domains.
  • To model this alternative process using network theory.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the role of self-assembly codes in trait transmission.
  • Modeling cumulative adaptive change using reflexively autocatalytic and foodset-generated networks.
  • Conceptualizing a new evolutionary process termed self-other reorganization (SOR).

Main Results:

  • Identified that early life and cultural evolution may not use the dual-function self-assembly code typical of Darwinian evolution.
  • Proposed self-other reorganization (SOR) as a lower-fidelity evolutionary process driving cumulative adaptive change in these domains.
  • Demonstrated SOR encompasses group-level interactions and learning, distinct from individual-level natural selection.

Conclusions:

  • Cumulative adaptive change can occur through mechanisms other than standard natural selection, particularly in early life and cultural evolution.
  • Self-other reorganization (SOR) provides a framework for understanding evolutionary processes with higher fidelity of acquired trait transmission.
  • SOR offers insights into the relationship between learning, group dynamics, and evolutionary change, potentially linking to Lamarckian concepts.