The biological species concept (BSC) offers a definition for species that is applicable to most situations and widely accepted. BSC defines a species as members of populations that actually or potentially interbreed in nature, not according to similarity of appearance. This definition emphasizes cladogenetic processes; however, it is difficult to actually apply. BSC requires measuring [...]
Nicholas Barton and Peter Keightley, authors of “Understanding Quantitative Genetic Variation”, explain the current and potential use of identifying quantitative trait loci (QTL)—portions of DNA that cause trait variation. Typically, QTLs underlie continuous traits such as height or body weight. In addition, many QTLs are associated with a single trait as many genes usually determine [...]
I am interested in combining evolution and medicine. I would like to research toxic snail venoms in search for potential pharmaceutical drugs. Determining which neurotoxins in the venom affect certain receptors will allow the venom to act in isolation and produce a specific reaction on the body’s systems without side effects. I plan to research [...]
Gould and Lewontin described adaptationism as, “An attempt to explain the existence and the particular forms of any phenotypic trait as the result of natural selection.” In other words adaptationism is the belief that natural selection is the only important method of evolution while spandrels are phenotypic characteristics that did not originate by the direct [...]
Richard Dawkins, author of The Ancestor’s Tale, agrees with Tomoko Ohta’s nearly neutral theory of molecular evolution where one can predict a relationship between population size and the rate of molecular evolution. Small animals with short generation times tend to have large populations. While large animals with large generation times tend to have small populations. [...]