Molecular Markers, Natural History and EvolutionMolecular approaches have opened new windows on a host of ecological and evolutionary disciplines, ranging from population genetics and behavioral ecology to conservation biology and systematics. Molecular Markers, Natural History and Evolution summarizes the multi-faceted discoveries about organisms in nature that have stemmed from analyses of genetic markers provided by polymorphic proteins and DNAs. The first part of the book introduces rationales for the use of molecular markers, provides a history of molecular phylogenetics, and describes a wide variety of laboratory methods and interpretative tools in the field. The second and major portion of the book provides a cornucopia of biological applications for molecular markers, organized along a scale from micro-evolutionary topics (such as forensics, parentage, kinship, population structure, and intra-specific phylogeny) to macro-evolutionary themes (including species relationships and the deeper phylogenetic structure in the tree of life). Unlike most prior books in molecular evolution, the focus is on organismal natural history and evolution, with the macromolecules being the means rather than the ends of scientific inquiry. Written as an intellectual stimulus for the advanced undergraduate, graduate student, or the practicing biologist desiring a wellspring of research ideas at the interface of molecular and organismal biology, this book presents material in a manner that is both technically straightforward, yet rich with concepts and with empirical examples from the world of nature. |
Contents
5 | |
16 | |
Molecular Tools | 44 |
Interpretive Tools | 92 |
Utility of Data Along the Phylogenetic Hierarchy | 98 |
PROCEDURES FOR PHYLOGENY RECONSTRUCTION | 109 |
Individuality and Parentage | 141 |
Kinship and Intraspecific Phylogeny | 190 |
Speciation and Hybridization | 252 |
Species Phylogenies and Macroevolution | 306 |
Conservation Genetics | 361 |
Literature Cited | 399 |
501 | |
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Common terms and phrases
A.C. Wilson Acad allele frequencies allozyme analyses ancestral animal approaches assays assessment Avise Ayala behavioral Biol biological birds characters chloroplast chromosomal clade cladistic clonal clones cpDNA differences diploid dispersal DNA fingerprinting DNA sequences DNA-DNA hybridization Drosophila Ecol electrophoretic endangered enzyme estimated eusocial evidence Evol evolutionary example exhibit females fishes fragments gene flow gene tree genetic distances genetic markers genetic structure genetic variation genome genotypes geographic groups haplotypes heterozygosity inbreeding individuals intraspecific introgression involves isolated larvae levels lineages loci locus males mammals mating methods mitochondrial DNA molecular clock molecular data molecular genetic molecular markers monophyletic morphological mtDNA multilocus multiple mutation Natl natural nuclear genes nucleotide observed organismal OTUS patterns phylogenetic phylogeny plants pollen polymorphisms population genetic population structure Proc progeny protein recombination regions relatedness relationships reproductive restriction revealed RFLP Selander sequence divergence sexual speciation species sperm studies taxa taxonomic unisexual variability versus vertebrates