Evolutionary Genetics and Environmental Stress

Although unpredictable and of short duration, periods of extreme environmental stress occur throughout the entire course of evolution. This book concentrates on the evolutionary changes that take place during these critical periods, when populations are driven to the extreme limits of resistance. Accumulating evidence suggests that it is precisely during such moments that fundamental changes in the natural order of systems are likely to occur, both in terms of species extinctions and bursts of evolutionary activity. This study offers much to aid in our understanding of the basic forces underlying the development of life on our planet. The book is necessarily multidisciplinary in approach, with an emphasis on the interaction between ecology, genetics, physiology, and the study of behavior and development. It concludes with a discussion of the range expansion of species, and insightful observations regarding conservation strategies under rapidly changing conditions, including those created by environmental pollution. Researchers, professionals, and students in evolutionary biology, ecology, zoology, and population genetics will want to read this important new book.