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Evolution Evolving: The Developmental Origins of Adaptation and Biodiversity
A new account of the central role developmental processes play in evolution
A new scientific view of evolution is emerging—one that challenges and expands our understanding of how evolution works. Recent research demonstrates that organisms differ greatly in how effective they are at evolving. Whether and how each organism adapts and diversifies depends critically on the mechanistic details of how that organism operates—its development, physiology, and behavior. That is because the evolutionary process itself has evolved over time, and continues to evolve. The scientific understanding of evolution is evolving too, with groundbreaking new ways of explaining evolutionary change. In this book, a group of leading biologists draw on the latest findings in evolutionary genetics and evo-devo, as well as novel insights from studies of epigenetics, symbiosis, and inheritance, to examine the central role that developmental processes play in evolution.
Written in an accessible style, and illustrated with fascinating examples of natural history, the book presents recent scientific discoveries that expand evolutionary biology beyond the classical view of gene transmission guided by natural selection. Without undermining the central importance of natural selection and other Darwinian foundations, new developmental insights indicate that all organisms possess their own characteristic sets of evolutionary mechanisms. The authors argue that a consideration of developmental phenomena is needed for evolutionary biologists to generate better explanations for adaptation and biodiversity. This book provides a new vision of adaptive evolution.
A new scientific view of evolution is emerging—one that challenges and expands our understanding of how evolution works. Recent research demonstrates that organisms differ greatly in how effective they are at evolving. Whether and how each organism adapts and diversifies depends critically on the mechanistic details of how that organism operates—its development, physiology, and behavior. That is because the evolutionary process itself has evolved over time, and continues to evolve. The scientific understanding of evolution is evolving too, with groundbreaking new ways of explaining evolutionary change. In this book, a group of leading biologists draw on the latest findings in evolutionary genetics and evo-devo, as well as novel insights from studies of epigenetics, symbiosis, and inheritance, to examine the central role that developmental processes play in evolution.
Written in an accessible style, and illustrated with fascinating examples of natural history, the book presents recent scientific discoveries that expand evolutionary biology beyond the classical view of gene transmission guided by natural selection. Without undermining the central importance of natural selection and other Darwinian foundations, new developmental insights indicate that all organisms possess their own characteristic sets of evolutionary mechanisms. The authors argue that a consideration of developmental phenomena is needed for evolutionary biologists to generate better explanations for adaptation and biodiversity. This book provides a new vision of adaptive evolution.
427 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 8, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 17, 2025
This somewhat dull-looking volume is a treasure trove for those interested in evolution—as far as I know, it is the first full-length, non-specialist, or expert volume dealing with developmental evolution and biology. It brings together decades of work, with specific reference to how recent leaps forward (heh) in biology have strengthened a shift away from gene-alone views of evolution.
To crudely summarise (all I am capable of), the authors argue that evolution is powered by developmental processes and natural selection of genes. These are varied, but include the set functions of cells, chemistry and physics that determine how organisms form and grow, epigenetic forms of inheritance and how individuals and groups of individuals within species create their environments and change their cultural behaviours, which change the context and hence selection pressures in the environment around them. There is also the role of bacteria, fungi and biomes in changing the organism. These things don't operate distinctly, but rather combine to create a more shaded and larger evolution engine than perhaps we are used to being taught.
Some of the examples that stood out to me included Bichir fish from Africa, which have fins they can use to drag themselves along land, although they primarily don't. When raised on land, these fish, while not having new DNA, will walk more efficiently and develop different musculature to support walking over swimming. KNown as developmental plasticity, this flexibility might involve epigenetic changes, changes induced by developmental rules (eg muscles that we use more become stronger because that is how our muscles work, bone development is influenced by muscle development etc) and 'cultural' changes in walking more. Once these fish are walking around (ok, it is flopping, but walking is the technical term) on land, natural selection works on a new paradigm, making these changes more "permanent" over time and, eventually, reducing the flexibility as a new normal becomes stabilised.
Another example was the probable role of cooking in human evolution. Apparently our guts are pretty low maintenance by mammal standards - important because our brains are very high maintenance. Cooking probably was a precursor to this set of changes, enabling much more efficient nutrient extraction. That would also have brought along with it a whole new set of microbes and probably changed their evolutionary environment. So changes in culture also set new directions for natural selection.
Possibly the most significant materials, however, are covering that we know that not all mutations are equal, and that some novel pathways for development are more likely than others, both to occur and to stick. The authors argue that while this has been seen as a constraint, it should be better viewed as an enabler, working to ensure that mutations that are helpful (eg 3 or 4 fingers is good, 3.23 fingers not good) are more likely to occur. Some of the reasoning here is epigenetics/genetic/cell processes I could follow, and much was Turing patterns, which I could not (but am happy to know that they exist).
I am slowly developing an understanding of epigenetic inheritance. Noting that the authors list examples of sperm being affected by epigenetic changes, and the reality that a pregnant woman carries the DNA of three generations (herself, her fetus and her fetus' ova) within her, so epigenetic changes in this period can affect three generations without requiring inheritance (it all does your head in a bit really). However, much of this discussion tends to circle around the possibility of human disadvantage and trauma being encoded, which is not really the starting point. Rather, epigenetic inheritance would evolve survival strategies without changes to DNA itself - and far more reversible ones. The markers found in those who survived famine, for example, assisted with absorbion of nutrients. In a modern, food-rich society, these may not be helpful adaptions, but the history they carry is that of survival.
All up, there is a lot here to digest. The authors use precise language, meaning it is slow reading for a lay reader, but not overly hard reading if you are willing to take your time. And the concepts matter - not only so we can better understand science, but because this is a message about how organisms shape their worlds, and how nothing works in isolation from other things or processes. Our desire to simplify - and there is nothing at all here that undermines Darwin, just which fleshes out the worlds he could see - can also be a desire to isolate.
To crudely summarise (all I am capable of), the authors argue that evolution is powered by developmental processes and natural selection of genes. These are varied, but include the set functions of cells, chemistry and physics that determine how organisms form and grow, epigenetic forms of inheritance and how individuals and groups of individuals within species create their environments and change their cultural behaviours, which change the context and hence selection pressures in the environment around them. There is also the role of bacteria, fungi and biomes in changing the organism. These things don't operate distinctly, but rather combine to create a more shaded and larger evolution engine than perhaps we are used to being taught.
Some of the examples that stood out to me included Bichir fish from Africa, which have fins they can use to drag themselves along land, although they primarily don't. When raised on land, these fish, while not having new DNA, will walk more efficiently and develop different musculature to support walking over swimming. KNown as developmental plasticity, this flexibility might involve epigenetic changes, changes induced by developmental rules (eg muscles that we use more become stronger because that is how our muscles work, bone development is influenced by muscle development etc) and 'cultural' changes in walking more. Once these fish are walking around (ok, it is flopping, but walking is the technical term) on land, natural selection works on a new paradigm, making these changes more "permanent" over time and, eventually, reducing the flexibility as a new normal becomes stabilised.
Another example was the probable role of cooking in human evolution. Apparently our guts are pretty low maintenance by mammal standards - important because our brains are very high maintenance. Cooking probably was a precursor to this set of changes, enabling much more efficient nutrient extraction. That would also have brought along with it a whole new set of microbes and probably changed their evolutionary environment. So changes in culture also set new directions for natural selection.
Possibly the most significant materials, however, are covering that we know that not all mutations are equal, and that some novel pathways for development are more likely than others, both to occur and to stick. The authors argue that while this has been seen as a constraint, it should be better viewed as an enabler, working to ensure that mutations that are helpful (eg 3 or 4 fingers is good, 3.23 fingers not good) are more likely to occur. Some of the reasoning here is epigenetics/genetic/cell processes I could follow, and much was Turing patterns, which I could not (but am happy to know that they exist).
I am slowly developing an understanding of epigenetic inheritance. Noting that the authors list examples of sperm being affected by epigenetic changes, and the reality that a pregnant woman carries the DNA of three generations (herself, her fetus and her fetus' ova) within her, so epigenetic changes in this period can affect three generations without requiring inheritance (it all does your head in a bit really). However, much of this discussion tends to circle around the possibility of human disadvantage and trauma being encoded, which is not really the starting point. Rather, epigenetic inheritance would evolve survival strategies without changes to DNA itself - and far more reversible ones. The markers found in those who survived famine, for example, assisted with absorbion of nutrients. In a modern, food-rich society, these may not be helpful adaptions, but the history they carry is that of survival.
All up, there is a lot here to digest. The authors use precise language, meaning it is slow reading for a lay reader, but not overly hard reading if you are willing to take your time. And the concepts matter - not only so we can better understand science, but because this is a message about how organisms shape their worlds, and how nothing works in isolation from other things or processes. Our desire to simplify - and there is nothing at all here that undermines Darwin, just which fleshes out the worlds he could see - can also be a desire to isolate.
March 25, 2025
This is a difficult, but rewarding, read for students of biology. Kevin Lala leads a group of scientists to pronounce it well time for a new way to consider evolution. The book itself, although aimed at just regular folks, is filled with concepts/works that likely are supposed to tick buttons in reader – but it’s very dense – and at times I felt overwhelmed ( = no buttons ticked). Even so, the examples of developmental evolution they showcase are highly entertaining, enough so that folks who enjoyed Ed Yong’s “An Immense World” would also like this. (It’s expensive, but if you have access to a university it should be available in the library – I downloaded it – very nice!)
Apparently this new evolutionary consensus (I’ll try to describe below) is widely debated. The old: I was taught (last century) that evolution is equivalent to random gene mutations that lead to improved fitness. But newer data in so many species belie this synthesis. For instance the rapidity of how finches can change their beaks (Weiner’s “The Beak of the Finch”, BTW, is a great book). Or the idea that traits that don’t confer fitness seem to come along with those that do – whole suites of genes contributing to a new phenotype. Take the case of Domestication syndrome, for instance, which I’d never heard of prior to this book: there are more than 20 different types of animals that, during domestication (i.e., selection for tameness) also evolve smaller brains, smaller teeth, curly tails and piebald coats.
These hard to explain facts/changing phenotypes have led evolutionary scientists to focus on developmental mechanisms that underlie fitness. In the case of domestication syndrome, regulatory gene networks that control tameness also control other features. Or that there is a set of beak determinants that are more likely to be mutable, so evove rapidy. Lala, et.al. also get into extra-gene sequence aspects that inform evolution – their lead example is a desert rat that survives by collecting gut bacteria that can digest toxic creosote, so can eat otherwise toxic plants - no bacteria, no surviva. Or that epigenetic marks – things that control accessibility of DNA – can become incorporated into an inherited phenotype. Lots of GReAT examples, and lots of interesting mechanisms considered throughout.
Some of this “new evolutionary synthesis” seems semantic to me - a way of talking about things that are kind of random - but this might be because I’m not versed in the language and once overwhelmed, tend to fall back on the old evolutionary synthesis – which is pretty straightforward. Overall, though, I am convinced that genetic change is not so random as previously taught, and involves more complicated interactions than random gene mutations.
Apparently this new evolutionary consensus (I’ll try to describe below) is widely debated. The old: I was taught (last century) that evolution is equivalent to random gene mutations that lead to improved fitness. But newer data in so many species belie this synthesis. For instance the rapidity of how finches can change their beaks (Weiner’s “The Beak of the Finch”, BTW, is a great book). Or the idea that traits that don’t confer fitness seem to come along with those that do – whole suites of genes contributing to a new phenotype. Take the case of Domestication syndrome, for instance, which I’d never heard of prior to this book: there are more than 20 different types of animals that, during domestication (i.e., selection for tameness) also evolve smaller brains, smaller teeth, curly tails and piebald coats.
These hard to explain facts/changing phenotypes have led evolutionary scientists to focus on developmental mechanisms that underlie fitness. In the case of domestication syndrome, regulatory gene networks that control tameness also control other features. Or that there is a set of beak determinants that are more likely to be mutable, so evove rapidy. Lala, et.al. also get into extra-gene sequence aspects that inform evolution – their lead example is a desert rat that survives by collecting gut bacteria that can digest toxic creosote, so can eat otherwise toxic plants - no bacteria, no surviva. Or that epigenetic marks – things that control accessibility of DNA – can become incorporated into an inherited phenotype. Lots of GReAT examples, and lots of interesting mechanisms considered throughout.
Some of this “new evolutionary synthesis” seems semantic to me - a way of talking about things that are kind of random - but this might be because I’m not versed in the language and once overwhelmed, tend to fall back on the old evolutionary synthesis – which is pretty straightforward. Overall, though, I am convinced that genetic change is not so random as previously taught, and involves more complicated interactions than random gene mutations.
July 24, 2025
Will probably need to read it again to fully understand it 😅
April 22, 2025
A fantastic collaborative effort that left me totally convinced of the important-and largely overlooked-role of developmental mechanics in actuating adaptive phenotypic plasticity and by extension evolutionary change. Five stars.
July 30, 2025
I liked some of the examples in this book and it had nice reminders/food for thought throughout. However, I fail to see how all of their ideas are actually helpful. First of all, I don’t think that development is nearly as neglected in evolutionary biology as they say it is. I don’t think any evolutionary biologist would argue against keeping developmental bias in mind when studying the evolution of new traits. Selection acts on existing variation. Probably the most interesting part to me was how niche-constructing organisms (apply that as broadly as you want - from biofilms to Air Conditioning) alter their own fitness landscapes.
Also interesting to me to think about how human’s knowledge of evolutionary processes can affect their own fitness landscapes.
Also interesting to me to think about how human’s knowledge of evolutionary processes can affect their own fitness landscapes.
February 11, 2025
This was an interesting read and I enjoyed it. It builds on the work of some great scientists and authors, including Waddington, Lewontin, and West-Eberhard. I thought it was a great synthesis of the authors' thinking on evolutionary biology. Maybe it's because I only read the work of Lewontin and Levins in the past few years, but I thought the developmental theory they present is a logical next step to the dialectical model presented in past works. Overall, a really amazing book for a modern view of evolution, placing a strong emphasis on developmental biology and evo-devo with interesting examples and good writing. Highly recommend
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December 10, 2024Paywalled article by the author in New Scientist, December 7, 2024 [Libby].
August 20, 2025
Lectura obligatoria de bachillerato.
July 18, 2025
This book, which met wide applause in the scientific literature, disappointed me a bit. I was expecting an account of new ideas in evolutionary developmental biology, but there is hardly any real developmental biology in this book. Developmental biology is about the origin of shape and form, aiming to explain the wonderful diversity of body plans, appendages, senses, digestion systems, reproductive organs and what have you, in nature, and how new forms are caused by mutations in the regulatory tool kit of development. However, this type of explanation is completely lacking from the book. The authors have a quite limited conception of 'development': the way in which the environment (including environments constructed by the organism itself) shapes the phenotype, given a certain genotype, extragenetic inheritance and symbionts. It is a straightforward and maybe novel view on the evolutionary process but I missed the mechanistic background of it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews