Evolutionary Analysis

by Scott Freeman, Jon C. Herron

By presenting evolutionary biology as an ongoing research effort, this best-seller aims to help readers think like scientists. The authors convey the excitement and logic of evolutionary science by introducing principles through recent and classical studies, and by emphasizing real-world applications. Features a new chapter on Phylogenomics and the Molecular Basis of Adaptation (Ch. 15). Offers an earlier presentation of Reconstructing Evolutionary Trees, reflecting the growing importance of this topic in the field. Includes the latest research and examples, giving students access to the most current developments in the field. Includes full-color photographs, diagrams and data-graphics throughout, developed by the author. Undergraduate courses in evolution

Genres: Biology, Science, Textbooks, Evolution, Nonfiction, School, Reference

834 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 1997

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Rodrigo Medel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a very good introductory book to evolutionary biology. It presents the most important topics in the discipline in a simple and readable manner. Although not so advanced as Futuyma's or Barton's books, Freeman & Herron present a balanced view of classic and novel advances in evolution, such as those involving epigenetics, evodevo, and genomic approaches to name a few. With plenty of schemes, charts, diagrams, and figures, the book is well-designed and full of questions and suggested readings that stimulate students to inquire more deeply in the current literature. Overall, the book covers a broad range of concepts in a rigorous manner. Highly recommended for undergraduate students in biology and environmental science.

[Aleksandar Janjic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Голема књига.

[Mikaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

carried me through the first year of grad school!

[Brett Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this 1998 1st edition of Evolutionary Analysis for a very short tune, poorly sung. Amazon has one for under five bucks. There’s a 5th edition now with some eighty-odd additional pages, but the fundamentals are the same and chapters are almost identical. As a college text for biologists, there’s a handful of chapters the casual reader might want to skip, but the bulk of this volume is easily accessible and a thrill for anybody. This book covers the entire living pageant. From educated guesses on the first primordial life to more concrete deductions of what’s called the “cenancestor”—ancestor to everything, something like a bacterium—with RNA transcription, translation of long molecular chains, metabolism, and replication common to all forms of life on earth no matter what, plants and animals. Our relationships to the wider animal world and how we share that common biology is frequently spellbinding. The basic chemistry (but not very deep) of how biologists trace this back in time and connect the dots is a remarkable story told here. The Cambrian Explosion 500 million years ago is perhaps the weirdest, when a chemical energy hump was crossed at the cellular level and all variety of animal forms occurred with the new trick of active predation added to the survival repertoire. This was also the advent of deception, when prey tried to deceive predators and predators tried to deceive prey—the primal birth of lying, which we humans have elevated to a high art form. Why men yearn for fast cars and big houses to display while women respond to both as aspects of sexual selection made me feel like a pawn of my hormones in younger days. Even why we have to die is treated. It’s the cost of sexual reproduction, which began after a billion years or so without it. With death, we elders depart by genetic command, which happens to make resources available for reproducing youth, allowing nature’s uncluttered selection of healthier genes if the environment changes. For me, while this book served as a revelation about how nature operates and why life on earth is the way it is, why humans are the way we are was more gripping. A hodgepodge of early lifeforms, from streaks of fish genes in our genome to lizard to furball mammal and primate. Are we the “final creation” or a mishmash car wreck? No wonder humans are so looney.

[Linda Munro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a suggested reading for a course in an introduction to evolution and genetics that I am taking through coursera.org. Although it is a rather large book, it seemed like approximately half of the book was questions, suggested reading and bibliography notes, without studying these items too closely, it became a relatively short text.

According to a synopsis, this book: ‘By presenting evolutionary biology as an ongoing research effort, this best-seller aims to help readers think like scientists. The authors convey the excitement and logic of evolutionary science by introducing principles through recent and classical studies, and by emphasizing real-world applications.” I did not see it that way. I took biology as a sophomore in high school (approximately 710 years ago) and an introductory class should not offer such a detailed, scientific book as a suggested read.

Although I ended up learning quite a bit concerning collecting data, experimenting, DNA, RNA, etc, I am giving this book a 3-star rating. This rating is simply because it was not a book I would have chosen to read in regards to my interest in evolution. When I decided to take this class, I had not realized how technical it would be, nor did I realize how closely genetics are concerned with evolution.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent textbook for an upper division undergraduate course in evolution! They keep the material current by constant adding/updating recent experiments and results to each edition. Their explanations are thorough and in depth. They do not shy away from more complex topics and instructors can easily use this book to fit the needs of their students. The authors approach of data analysis is fascinating and instructive. Not only will students learn how science is done, but as they read through the myriad examples they will feel like they are a part of the process!

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty decent reference for beginners in population genetics.

Don't know about the "normal" one, but the international edition contains a chapter on the history of the controversy of teaching evolution in U.S. schools, which I thought was hilariously apologetic, although a sad example on how science sometimes loses to politics.

[Drew Crownover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful comprehensive study of evolution. Clear, easy-to-read text, with plenty of charts, diagrams, pictures, etc. I didn't major in biology, and it had been at least ten years since I'd sat through a science course, but I found this textbook extremely understandable.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about Evolution

[Linnéa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intressant fast jag somnade varje gång jag skulle läsa.

[Lovely Fortune · Rating 3 out of 5]

For Biology course (and a fairly interesting one). Textbook is pretty easy to follow. I didn't need to go to class every session b/c the book had enough info.

[Sarah Aubrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent textbook

[E D · Rating 1 out of 5]

That was horrible. This book never goes anywhere, never says anything, it just keep walking in circles. It has simplystic explanations of the concepts when it bothers to "explain" something. It looks like a magazine with all that absurd amount of examples, and insists in trying to make analogies. How irritating and a waste of time. I'm glad that Ridley exists, because Ridley is the definitive textbook about evolutionary biology.

[Tori]

Evolutionary Analysis by Scott Freeman (2004)

[Tiffany]

No longer use this one so I am giving it away. Does anyone want it?

[Hayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was one of the most expensive textbooks I have ever been required to purchase. I have chosen to rate the book as low as I have because, as far as I am concerned, there is nothing about the book that makes it worthy of the more expensive price. There are less expensive text books that teach the same material equally well.

[Katie]

2018-11-27 have to return to the library

Recommended by Marty! Great textbook about evolution, and how/why organisms in the world came to be the way they are. The mechanisms of life!