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Understanding evolution (6th ed.)

Understanding evolution (6th ed.) 382 REVIEWS E. P. V OLPE & P. A. R OSENBAUM , 2000. Understanding evolution (6 th ed.): i-xii, 1-258. (McGraw-Hill, San Francisco, etc.). ISBN 0-697-05137-4. Paperbound. Price £61.00 (approx. US$ 125.00). This nice introductory text to the phenomena of evolution, being already in its sixth edition since 1967, thus testifies its apparent popularity with teachers and students. In a total of twenty- one chapters the concept of evolution is explained from its very basis up to the cultural evolution of mankind. Chapters 1-8 treat that basis: from variation, via the mechanisms of Darwinian evolution, through to the final steps of selection. In chapters 9-13 the most important phenomena allied to the process are dealt with, i.e., balanced polymorphism, genetic drift, the founder effect, speciation, adaptive radiation, and the like. Then follows a series of chapters (nos. 14-20) on somewhat more distantly related issues, including the origin and history of life, macroevolution, the human genome, and social behaviour. The final chapter, on “cultural evolution”, briefly characterizes the capability of mankind to superimpose culture on the basic nature of its composing individuals, but it further deals largely with a couple of selected medical issues. The Epilogue, in which “scientific creationism” is set aside from science as such, is an obligatory testimony to show that religion and science are different approaches to the Universe, and cannot (easily) be combined, certainly not as easily as some creationists allegedly think. The subjects covered present a quite exhaustive, albeit concise, picture of the way in which evolution is understood to work, and necessary principles from other disciplines are briefly recalled (hypothetico-deductive reasoning, basic genetics, but, e.g., also Lamarckism). The relation of the concepts treated with our own human life and body, something that is continuously referred to, will make the text appeal to a broader audience than biologists alone. Personally, I would even consider this book suitable not only for undergraduates at university level, but also for the highest grades of secondary (grammar) schools, at least according to the standards we uphold for that level of education in Europe and possibly in some other western countries. The text is easy to read and the development of reasonings is effectively funded with clear arguments and also corroborated with adequate examples. The book concludes with Suggested Readings and a combined subject and author index. The publications included in the recommended readings comprise most of the classical works, but further reflect the preferences of the authors, whence their selection seems a bit unbalanced (e.g., D. J. Futuyma’s 1995 book “Science on trial: the case for evolution” is included, whereas his major 1979 work “Evolutionary biology” is not; E. Mayr is referred to with his 1991 “One long argument: Charles Darwin and the genesis of modern evolutionary thought” but one searches in vain for his 1963 “Animal species and evolution”; etcetera). In all, a nice, complete introductory text, with well-chosen examples and clear, concise explana- tions. All major concepts of the evolutionary processes as known at present are dealt with and the way in which that is done is suitable to teach undergraduate students those principles, while it may also serve as a vademecum for biologists working in non-population genetic disciplines to refresh their memory from time to time. Books like these require no further recommendation: it obviously is not the only text on the subject, but it certainly makes a good choice for those who have to teach evolution to undergraduates. J. C. VON V AUPEL K LEIN B. [H.] D USSART & D. D EFAYE , 2002. World directory of Crustacea Copepoda of inland waters. I – Calaniformes: i-vii, 1-276. (Backhuys Publishers, Leiden). Paperbound. ISBN 90-5782-108-7. Price € 62.- (approx. US$ 85.-) plus P&P. © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2008 Crustaceana 81 (3): 382[-384] Also available online: www.brill.nl/cr http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Crustaceana Brill

Understanding evolution (6th ed.)

von Vaupel Klein,
Crustaceana , Volume 81 (3): 1 – Jan 1, 2008
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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
Copyright © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands
ISSN
0011-216X
eISSN
1568-5403
DOI
10.1163/156854008783564055
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Abstract

382 REVIEWS E. P. V OLPE & P. A. R OSENBAUM , 2000. Understanding evolution (6 th ed.): i-xii, 1-258. (McGraw-Hill, San Francisco, etc.). ISBN 0-697-05137-4. Paperbound. Price £61.00 (approx. US$ 125.00). This nice introductory text to the phenomena of evolution, being already in its sixth edition since 1967, thus testifies its apparent popularity with teachers and students. In a total of twenty- one chapters the concept of evolution is explained from its very basis up to the cultural evolution of mankind. Chapters 1-8 treat that basis: from variation, via the mechanisms of Darwinian evolution, through to the final steps of selection. In chapters 9-13 the most important phenomena allied to the process are dealt with, i.e., balanced polymorphism, genetic drift, the founder effect, speciation, adaptive radiation, and the like. Then follows a series of chapters (nos. 14-20) on somewhat more distantly related issues, including the origin and history of life, macroevolution, the human genome, and social behaviour. The final chapter, on “cultural evolution”, briefly characterizes the capability of mankind to superimpose culture on the basic nature of its composing individuals, but it further deals largely with a couple of selected medical issues. The Epilogue, in which “scientific creationism” is set aside from science as such, is an obligatory testimony to show that religion and science are different approaches to the Universe, and cannot (easily) be combined, certainly not as easily as some creationists allegedly think. The subjects covered present a quite exhaustive, albeit concise, picture of the way in which evolution is understood to work, and necessary principles from other disciplines are briefly recalled (hypothetico-deductive reasoning, basic genetics, but, e.g., also Lamarckism). The relation of the concepts treated with our own human life and body, something that is continuously referred to, will make the text appeal to a broader audience than biologists alone. Personally, I would even consider this book suitable not only for undergraduates at university level, but also for the highest grades of secondary (grammar) schools, at least according to the standards we uphold for that level of education in Europe and possibly in some other western countries. The text is easy to read and the development of reasonings is effectively funded with clear arguments and also corroborated with adequate examples. The book concludes with Suggested Readings and a combined subject and author index. The publications included in the recommended readings comprise most of the classical works, but further reflect the preferences of the authors, whence their selection seems a bit unbalanced (e.g., D. J. Futuyma’s 1995 book “Science on trial: the case for evolution” is included, whereas his major 1979 work “Evolutionary biology” is not; E. Mayr is referred to with his 1991 “One long argument: Charles Darwin and the genesis of modern evolutionary thought” but one searches in vain for his 1963 “Animal species and evolution”; etcetera). In all, a nice, complete introductory text, with well-chosen examples and clear, concise explana- tions. All major concepts of the evolutionary processes as known at present are dealt with and the way in which that is done is suitable to teach undergraduate students those principles, while it may also serve as a vademecum for biologists working in non-population genetic disciplines to refresh their memory from time to time. Books like these require no further recommendation: it obviously is not the only text on the subject, but it certainly makes a good choice for those who have to teach evolution to undergraduates. J. C. VON V AUPEL K LEIN B. [H.] D USSART & D. D EFAYE , 2002. World directory of Crustacea Copepoda of inland waters. I – Calaniformes: i-vii, 1-276. (Backhuys Publishers, Leiden). Paperbound. ISBN 90-5782-108-7. Price € 62.- (approx. US$ 85.-) plus P&P. © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2008 Crustaceana 81 (3): 382[-384] Also available online: www.brill.nl/cr

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Crustaceana – Brill

Published: Jan 1, 2008

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