The Driving Forces of Evolution: Genetic Processes in Populations / Edition 1

by David Wool

Overview

To cope with the abiotic stress-induced osmotic problems, plants adapt by either increasing uptake of inorganic ions from the external solution, or by de novo synthesis of organic compatible solutes acting as osmolytes. Of the osmoregulants and protectants discussed in this volume, trehalose, fructans, ectoine and citrulline, which are generated in different species, in osmotically ineffective amounts, mitigate the stress effects on cells/plants and improve productivity. There are several pieces of encouraging research discussed in this volume showing significant improvement in stress tolerance and in turn productivity by involving genetic engineering techniques.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781578084456
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	01/10/2006
Pages:	362
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

David Wool was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. at Tel Aviv University, followed by Ph.D. at the University of Kansas, USA in 1969. For his doctorate he studied genetic processes in populations, using flour beetles as an experimental model. Dr. Wool joined the Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, as a lecturer in 1970, and advanced to full professorship in 1984, teaching population genetics, ecological genetics and biometry. His research interests shifted from the laboratory population models to the biology and ecology of gall-inducing aphids in nature and to the historical development of the theory of evolution. His research yielded 150 papers in scientific journals. He spent sabbatical years doing research at the universities of Reading, UK, Michigan State, USA and Macquarie, Australia, and participated in numerous international scientific conferences.

Table of Contents

MAINLY THEORY: The Beginning; Evolution as an On-going Process; Populations at Equilibrium: The Hardy-Weinberg Law; Deviation from Equilibrium: Genetic Drift? Random Changes in Small Populations; Deviations from Equilibrium: Mutations; Deviations from Equilibrium: Migration; Deviations from Equilibrium: Non-random Mating; Deviation from Equilibrium: Selection; SELECTION IN NATURE: The Theory of Natural Selection: A Historical Outline; Genetic Variation in Natural Populations; Genetic Variation in Natural Populations (continued); Evolutionary Processes in Natural Populations; Natural Selection and Adaptation; Natural Selection and Polymorphism; Classification of Selection Processes; Evolution in Asexually-reproducing Populations; Laboratory Populations as Models for Natural Selection; The Neutralist-Selectionist Controversy: 'Non-Darwinian' Evolution?; The Neutrality Hypothesis: Molecular Support and Evidence to the Contrary; Molecular Evolution; MACRO-EVOLUTION: The Concepts of Species in Evolution;