Evolution: An Introduction

by Stephen C. Stearns

This book introduces what is essential and exciting in evolutionary biology. It covers the whole field and emphasizes what the important concepts are. Care has been taken to express complex and stimulating ideas in simple language, while the frequent examples and running summaries make reading fun. Each chapter follows logically from the next, so that the book can be read straight through, one chapter per sitting.



· Concise, clear, and states what is important


· Concentrates on the central concepts and illustrates them with telling examples


· Running summaries in the margins make navigation easy


· Suitable for a one-semester or one-year course in evolution


· Summaries at chapter ends


· Each chapter's connections to neighboring chapters are explained

An Introduction takes a fresh approach to classical topics such as population genetics and natural selection, and gives an overview of recent advances in hot areas such as sexual selection, genetic conflict, life history evolution, and development.

Genres: Science, Biology

394 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2000

About the author

Stephen C. Stearns (born December 12, 1946, in Kapaau, Hawaii and raised in Hawi, Hawaii is an American biologist, and the Edward P. Bass Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University. He is known for his work in life history theory and evolutionary medicine.

Reviews

[Stephen Cranney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read enough popular science evolution books I figured it was time to actually read a textbook on the subject. It was quite refreshing to just get the straight science without the sociocultural commentary, scientistic arrogance, or amateur philosophizing (peppered moths turned brown due to selection pressures brought on by industrial-era pollution, therefore....partial-birth abortion rights! Oh, and Southerners are stupid) even if it was a little dryer. The book assumes a basic understanding of biology and genetics, so it may be a little rough for someone without any training in these subjects. It's the textbook for the first half of Yale's open course on evolution that's available on youtube, but the textbook cover almost everything that's covered in the lectures.

[Tiffany]

College textbook. Gave away.