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The central role of mathematical modeling in modern evolutionary theory has raised a concern as to why and how abstract formulae can say anything about empirical phenomena of evolution. This Element introduces existing philosophical approaches to this problem and proposes a new account according to which evolutionary models are based on causal, and not just mathematical, assumptions. The novel account features causal models both as the Humean 'uniform nature' underlying evolutionary induction and as the organizing framework that integrates mathematical and empirical assumptions into a cohesive network of beliefs that functions together to achieve epistemic goals of evolutionary biology.

Evolution (Biology) --- Animal evolution --- Animals --- Biological evolution --- Darwinism --- Evolutionary biology --- Evolutionary science --- Origin of species --- Biology --- Evolution --- Biological fitness --- Homoplasy --- Natural selection --- Phylogeny --- Mathematics.

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This book provides concise and cutting-edge reviews in astrobiology, a young and still emerging multidisciplinary field of science that addresses the fundamental questions of how life originated and diversified on Earth, whether life exists beyond Earth, and what is the future for life on Earth. Readers will find coverage of the latest understanding of a wide range of fascinating topics, including, for example, solar system formation, the origins of life, the history of Earth as revealed by geology, the evolution of intelligence on Earth, the implications of genome data, insights from extremophile research, and the possible existence of life on other planets within and beyond the solar system. Each chapter contains a brief summary of the current status of the topic under discussion, sufficient references to enable more detailed study, and descriptions of recent findings and forthcoming missions or anticipated research. Written by leading experts in astronomy, planetary science, geoscience, chemistry, biology, and physics, this insightful and thought-provoking book will appeal to all students and scientists who are interested in life and space.

Evolutionary biology. --- Astrobiology. --- Microbiology. --- Geobiology. --- Evolutionary Biology. --- Biogeosciences. --- Biology --- Earth sciences --- Biosphere --- Microbial biology --- Microorganisms --- Astrobiology --- Habitable planets --- Life --- Animal evolution --- Animals --- Biological evolution --- Darwinism --- Evolutionary biology --- Evolutionary science --- Origin of species --- Evolution --- Biological fitness --- Homoplasy --- Natural selection --- Phylogeny --- Origin

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The permutation of basic atoms—nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and phosphorus―into the biomolecules DNA and RNA, subsequently evolved in cells and brains, defining the origin of life and intelligence, remains unexplained. Equally the origin of the genetic information and the intertwined nature of ‘hardware’ and ‘software’ involved in the evolution of bio-molecules and the cells are shrouded in mystery. This treatise aims at exploring individual and swarm behaviour patterns which potentially hint at as yet unknown biological principles. It reviews theories of evolution with perspectives from the earth sciences, commencing with the earliest observed records of life. This is followed by reviews and discussion of the building blocks of life, marine and terrestrial communities, the arthropods, birds and finally humans. It is suggested that, further to the mutation/natural selection processes established by Darwin and Wallace, an understanding of the evolution of intelligence remains little understood. A directionality of evolutionary trajectories is evident, not least the purposeful thinking process of humans as well as animals. It is not clear how directional intelligence, manifested for example by the collective intelligence of arthropod colonies, has evolved from mutation/natural selection processes. Potential clues for the understanding of life and evolution are provided by Aristotle’s dictum of “the whole being greater than the sum of the parts”, Niels Bohr’s principle of quantum complementarity and George Ellis’ theory of top-down causality. Inherent in the question of the origin of life is an anthropocentric bias, related to the self-referential Anthropic Principle and theological paradigms of man’s supposed dominion over all other species. The Anthropic Principle, however, should be capable of being circumvented using the scientific falsification method, assuming universal verified constants of physics. The phenomenon of the human mastery of fire and the splitting of the atom, leading to the seventh major mass extinction of species, remains incomprehensible. .

Life. --- Life --- Philosophy --- Biology-Philosophy. --- Astrobiology. --- Paleontology . --- Evolution (Biology). --- Philosophy of Biology. --- Biogeosciences. --- Paleontology. --- Evolutionary Biology. --- Animal evolution --- Animals --- Biological evolution --- Darwinism --- Evolutionary biology --- Evolutionary science --- Origin of species --- Biology --- Evolution --- Biological fitness --- Homoplasy --- Natural selection --- Phylogeny --- Fossilogy --- Fossilology --- Palaeontology --- Paleontology, Zoological --- Paleozoology --- Historical geology --- Zoology --- Fossils --- Prehistoric animals in motion pictures --- Astrobiology --- Habitable planets --- Origin --- Biology—Philosophy. --- Geobiology. --- Evolutionary biology. --- Earth sciences --- Biosphere

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The book is a detailed account of major biological events that contributed to create the present world and our species, with emphasis on cause-effect interrelationships and environmental impact. Its main goal is to guide the reader toward an understanding of the continuity of life across diversity, and of its large-scale interactions with the planet. Combining scientific soundness with a constant effort for clarity, the book begins with a cloud of dust in a corner of the Galaxy and, covering an immense lapse of time, terminates with an organism that ponders about the texture of the Universe. Comprehensive, updated references added to each chapter will help the reader wishing to expand any of the topics. A glossary explains less common technical terms.

Biology --- History. --- Evolution (Biology). --- Microbiology. --- Evolutionary Biology. --- Biogeosciences. --- Environmental Science and Engineering. --- Microbial biology --- Microorganisms --- Animal evolution --- Animals --- Biological evolution --- Darwinism --- Evolutionary biology --- Evolutionary science --- Origin of species --- Evolution --- Biological fitness --- Homoplasy --- Natural selection --- Phylogeny --- Evolutionary biology. --- Geobiology. --- Environmental sciences. --- Environmental science --- Science --- Earth sciences --- Biosphere

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Abiotic Stress Tolerance Related Genomics-assisted Breeding for Crop Improvement Volume 2 is a compilation of the status of genomics-assisted breeding in various crops in the era of high throughput genotyping and phenotyping platforms. How scientists have utilized these new platforms on their germplasm for identification of novel genes and alleles for abiotic stress tolerance is described. The articles in the book include topics specifically in the areas of genetics and genomics of stomatal traits for improving drought tolerance, genomics-based approaches for improving abiotic stress tolerance, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and association mapping for abiotic stress tolerance related traits and candidate genes for abiotic stress tolerance. In addition, chapters have been included on innovative role of double haploids in genomics-assisted crop improvement for abiotic stress tolerance. Overall, the collation will be very useful to scientists working in similar areas as well as to graduate and undergraduate students who want to get information of QTLs, genes etc. for a particular crop at one place. .

Plant genetics. --- Plant breeding. --- Agriculture. --- Biotechnology. --- Evolution (Biology). --- Plant Genetics and Genomics. --- Plant Breeding/Biotechnology. --- Evolutionary Biology. --- Plant breeding --- Genetics. --- Animal evolution --- Animals --- Biological evolution --- Darwinism --- Evolutionary biology --- Evolutionary science --- Origin of species --- Biology --- Evolution --- Biological fitness --- Homoplasy --- Natural selection --- Phylogeny --- Chemical engineering --- Genetic engineering --- Farming --- Husbandry --- Industrial arts --- Life sciences --- Food supply --- Land use, Rural --- Crops --- Agriculture --- Breeding --- Plants --- Genetics --- Evolutionary biology.