Plasticity, Robustness, Development and EvolutionHow do we understand and explain the apparent dichotomy between plasticity and robustness in the context of development? Can we identify these complex processes without resorting to 'either/or' solutions? Written by two leaders in the field, this is the first book to fully unravel the complexity of the subject, explaining that the epigenetic processes generating plasticity and robustness are in fact deeply intertwined. It identifies the different mechanisms that generate robustness and the various forms of plasticity, before considering the functional significance of the integrated mechanisms and how the component processes might have evolved. Finally, it highlights the ways in which epigenetic mechanisms could be instrumental in driving evolutionary change. Essential reading for biologists and psychologists interested in epigenetics and evolution, this book is also a valuable resource for biological anthropologists, sociobiologists, child psychologists and paediatricians. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 7 | |
3 Developmental robustness | 20 |
4 Plasticity | 31 |
5 Integration of robustness and plasticity | 46 |
6 Current function of integrated developmental processes | 63 |
Common terms and phrases
adaptive adult animals associated ation Baldwin effect Bateson Biological Sciences biologists biology birth brain Cambridge capacity cell Chapter characteristics chromatin chromosome cognitive complex cope cues Darwin Darwinian selection developmental plasticity developmental processes distinct DNA methylation early in development Ecology effects environment environmental conditions epigenetic change Epigenetic inheritance epigenetic mechanisms evolution evolutionary change evolutionary processes evolved example experience fetal fetus filial imprinting function gene expression genome genotype Gluckman growth Hanson heritability histone hormone human immune system individual individual’s induced inheritance integrated interactions involved Jablonka Journal larvae learning levels mammals maternal ment metabolic molecular mother mutation Nature niche construction non-coding RNAs nutritional occur offspring organism outcome particular phenotype phenotypic plasticity Pigliucci plastic response polyphenism population predators predict proteins rats reaction norms regulation reproductive success robustness and plasticity role sensitive period sequence sexual Society of London species studies survival tion trait transposable elements University Press variation Waddington West-Eberhard