Sketches of Nature
A Geneticist's Look at the Biological World During a Golden Era of Molecular Ecology

This book provides the only illustrated work encapsulating the research and discoveries of a world-leading scientist who has studied a diverse panorama of creatures ranging from corals, sponges, and other invertebrates, to a wide variety of vertebrate animals.

John C. Avise (Author)

9780128019450

Hardback, published 16 September 2015

280 pages
23.4 x 19 x 2.2 cm, 0.75 kg

This visually appealing book recounts the history of molecular ecology and evolution as seen through the personal lens of one of its most prolific practitioners, who has studied a panorama of creatures ranging from corals, sponges, and other invertebrates to a wide variety of vertebrate animals including numerous birds, mammals, herps, and fishes. The sketches are of two types: evocative drawings of the animals themselves, and more than 230 written abstracts summarizing the author’s eclectic research on ecological-genetic topics spanning the microevolutionary to macroevolutionary. With the abstracts arranged by organismal group and placed in chronological order, the chapters in this book lead readers on a fascinating historical journey into the realm of molecular genetics as applied across the past four decades to intriguing questions in ecology, evolution, animal behavior, and natural history.

PrefaceIntroduction. Chapter 1. Sunfishes (Centrarchidae). Chapter 2. Livebearing Fishes (Poeciliidae). Chapter 3. Other Freshwater Fishes. Chapter 4. Pipefishes and Seahorses (Syngnathidae). Chapter 5. Other Marine Fishes. Chapter 6. The Mangrove Rivulus. Chapter 7. Amphibians. Chapter 8. Marine Turtles. Chapter 9. Freshwater Turtles. Chapter 10. Other Reptiles. Chapter 11. Birds. Chapter 12. Rodents. Chapter 13. Other Mammals. Chapter 14. Invertebrates. Chapter 15. Intergroup Comparisons

Subject Areas: Applied ecology [RNC], Molecular biology [PSD], Genetics [non-medical PSAK], Evolution [PSAJ]