Multivariate morphometrics, quantitative genetics, and neutral theory: Developing a “modern synthesis” for primate evolutionary morphology

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Genetics ◽  
Neutral Theory ◽  
Modern Synthesis ◽  
Multivariate Morphometrics ◽  
Evolutionary Morphology

The Darwinian revolution in Germany: from evolutionary morphology to the modern synthesis

Endeavour ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 268-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgy S. Levit ◽  
Uwe Hossfeld ◽  
Lennart Olsson
Keyword(s):  
Modern Synthesis ◽  
Evolutionary Morphology ◽  
Darwinian Revolution

Preface: From evolutionary morphology to the modern synthesis and “evo-devo”: Historical and contemporary perspectives

2006 ◽  
Vol 124 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 259-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
L OLSSON ◽  
U HOSFELD ◽  
O BREIDBACH
Keyword(s):  
Modern Synthesis ◽  
Evolutionary Morphology ◽  
Evo Devo

scholarly journals The structure of evolutionary theory: Beyond Neo-Darwinism, Neo-Lamarckism and biased historical narratives about the Modern Synthesis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Svensson
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Evolutionary Theory ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Neutral Theory ◽  
Modern Synthesis ◽  
Third Way ◽  
Extended Evolutionary Synthesis ◽  
Stephen Jay Gould ◽  
Post Synthesis ◽  
Lasting Influence

The last decades have seen frequent calls for a more extended evolutionary synthesis (EES) that will supposedly overcome the limitations in the current evolutionary framework with its intellectual roots in the Modern Synthesis (MS). Some radical critics even want to entirely abandon the current evolutionary framework, claiming that the MS (often erroneously labelled “Neo-Darwinism”) is outdated, and will soon be replaced by an entirely new framework, such as the Third Way of Evolution (TWE). Such criticisms are not new, but have repeatedly re-surfaced every decade since the formation of the MS, and were particularly articulated by developmental biologist Conrad Waddington and paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould. Waddington, Gould and later critics argued that the MS was too narrowly focused on genes and natural selection, and that it ignored developmental processes, epigenetics, paleontology and macroevolutionary phenomena. More recent critics partly recycle these old arguments and argue that non-genetic inheritance, niche construction, phenotypic plasticity and developmental bias necessitate major revision of evolutionary theory. Here I discuss these supposed challenges, taking a historical perspective and tracing these arguments back to Waddington and Gould. I dissect the old arguments by Waddington, Gould and more recent critics that the MS was excessively gene centric and became increasingly “hardened” over time and narrowly focused on natural selection. Recent critics have consciously or unconsciously exaggerated the long-lasting influence of the MS on contemporary evolutionary biology and have underestimated many post-Synthesis developments, particularly Neutral Theory and evolutionary quantitative genetics. Critics have also painted a biased picture of the MS as a more monolithic research tradition than it ever was, and have downplayed the pluralistic nature of contemporary evolutionary biology, particularly the long-lasting influence of Sewall Wright with his emphasis on gene interactions and stochasticity. Finally, I outline and visualize the conceptually split landscape of contemporary evolutionary biology, with four different stably coexisting analytical frameworks: adaptationism, mutationism, neutralism and selectionism. I suggest that the field can accommodate the challenges raised by critics, although structuralism (“EvoDevo”) and macroevolution remain to be conceptually integrated within mainstream evolutionary theory.

The Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution

1983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Motoo Kimura
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Evolution ◽  
Neutral Theory

A Modern Synthesis of Memory Research and Theory

1995 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 555-556
Author(s):  
William A. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Modern Synthesis ◽  
Memory Research
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