Evolution by Association

Our evolution and that of all plants and animals is not thought to be due solely to the gradual accumulation of gene changes within species. Symbiosis is at the root of our being. This book is a systematic history of this emerging field and gives an account of the growth of a biological idea.

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In this comprehensive history of symbiosis theory-the first to be written-Jan Sapp masterfully traces it development from modest beginnings in the late nineteenth century to its current status as one of the key conceptual frameworks for the life sciences. The symbiotic perspective on evolution, which argues that "higher species" have evolved from a merger of two or more different kinds of organism living together, is now clearly established with definitive molecular evidence demonstrating that mitochondria and chloroplasts have evolved from symbiotic bacteria. In telling the exciting story of an evolutionary biology tradition that has effectively challenged many key tenets of classical neo-Darwinism, Sapp sheds light on the phenomenon, movements, doctrines, and controversies that have shaped attitudes about the scope and significance of symbiosis. Engaging and insightful, Evolution by Association will avidly read by students and researchers across the life sciences.