Evolutionary Biology: Concepts and Methods

Evolutionary biology studies the evolutionary processes of common descent, natural selection and speciation for an understanding of the rich biodiversity of life on Earth. Evolution is a unifying concept in biology. Some of the subfields of evolutionary biology are evolutionary ecology and evolutionary developmental biology. Due to a merge between applied sciences and biological sciences, other fields have emerged such as evolutionary robotics and engineering, economics and architecture. Research in evolutionary biology strives to develop an understanding of less understood natural processes such as the evolution of sexual reproduction, cooperation, ageing and evolvability, etc. Research further encompasses studies of molecular evolution, the genetic architecture of adaptation and the forces of genetic drift, sexual selection and biogeography. This book is compiled in such a manner, that it will provide in-depth knowledge about the concepts and methods of evolutionary biology. It is a valuable compilation of topics, ranging from the basic to the most complex advancements in this field. It aims to equip students and experts with the advanced topics and upcoming concepts in this area.