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Related Concept Videos

The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.The collection of fossils within sedimentary rocks give a record of common ancestry and often depicts the history of evolution.
What is Evolutionary History?02:35

What is Evolutionary History?

Scientists record evolutionary history by analyzing fossil, morphological, and genetic data. The fossil record documents the history of life on Earth and provides evidence for evolution. However, both fossil and living organisms offer evidence that outlines Earth’s evolutionary history.Phylogenetic trees illustrate the evolutionary relationships among these organisms. Scientists infer organisms’ common ancestry by evaluating shared morphological and genetic characteristics. Together, the fossil...
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

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 human psyche...
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

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.For one, natural selection can only act upon existing genetic variation. Hypothetically, redtusks may enhance elephant survival by deterring ivory-seeking poachers. However, if there are no gene variants—or alleles—for redtusks, natural selection cannot increase the prevalence of...
Evolution of New Traits in Microbes01:24

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
Ecological Niches02:02

Ecological Niches

All organisms have a position within an ecosystem. The complete set of living and nonliving factors—including food resources, climate, and terrain—that define the position of a given organism are collectively referred to as the organism’s ecological niche.Multiple species cannot occupy the exact same niche within their habitat. If the niches of two or more species overlap to a large extent, the competitive exclusion principle dictates that one species will outcompete the other, forcing it to...

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Spotting Cheetahs: Identifying Individuals by Their Footprints
09:47

Spotting Cheetahs: Identifying Individuals by Their Footprints

Published on: May 1, 2016

Evolutionary Footprint: A Systemic Indicator in Evolution, Ecology and Conservation.

Thibault Genissel1, Alexandre Robert1, Jane Lecomte1

  • 1Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, CESCO Sorbonne Université, MNHN, CNRS Paris France.

Evolutionary Applications
|June 25, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Human activities drive evolutionary changes, necessitating new conservation strategies. We introduce the

Keywords:
environmental ethicsevocentrismevolutionary potentialgenetic diversityglobal changemacroevolutionmicroevolutionphylogeny

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Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
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Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Spotting Cheetahs: Identifying Individuals by Their Footprints
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Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Conservation science
  • Biodiversity studies

Background:

  • Growing awareness of human impacts on evolution necessitates integrating evolutionary perspectives into conservation.
  • Evolutionary changes are complex, multi-causal, and occur across various timescales.
  • Advancements in eco-evolutionary dynamics, genomics, and non-genetic inheritance are crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define and quantify the 'evolutionary footprint' of human drivers on biological entities.
  • To develop a framework for scoring evolutionary footprints using micro- and macroevolutionary metrics.
  • To foster the integration of evolutionary dynamics into biodiversity conservation.

Main Methods:

  • Defined 'evolutionary footprint' as a driver's impact on evolutionary trajectories.
  • Selected metrics capturing adaptive traits, genetic diversity, macroevolutionary processes, and phylogenetic patterns.
  • Developed a quantitative scoring method by comparing changes against natural history baselines.

Main Results:

  • Illustrated the 'evolutionary footprint' framework with case studies on plant-pollinator interactions and mammal evolution.
  • Demonstrated a quantitative method for assessing human impacts on evolutionary trajectories.
  • Highlighted the potential of this indicator for conservation science.

Conclusions:

  • The 'evolutionary footprint' concept offers a novel way to assess and integrate evolutionary changes into conservation.
  • Addresses challenges in integrating multiple timescales, predicting evolutionary changes, and accounting for non-genetic inheritance.
  • Promotes an evocentric approach to biodiversity conservation by valuing evolutionary processes.