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Evolvability as the proper focus of evolutionary developmental biology
Author(s) -
Hendrikse Jesse Love,
Parsons Trish Elizabeth,
Hallgrímsson Benedikt
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
evolution and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1525-142X
pISSN - 1520-541X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-142x.2007.00176.x
Subject(s) - evolvability , biology , evolutionary developmental biology , modularity (biology) , evolutionary biology , focus (optics) , field (mathematics) , epistemology , cognitive science , psychology , philosophy , physics , mathematics , pure mathematics , optics
SUMMARY Research conducted under the label of evolutionary developmental biology has tended to revolve around a few central issues such as modularity, integration, and canalization. Yet, as the field has grown, it has become increasingly difficult to define in terms of its central question and relation to broader evolutionary concerns. We argue that these central issues of evo‐devo gain their currency from connections to a central question that defines the field, and we propose that this central question is about the nature of evolvability. However, not all research currently carried out under the label of “evo‐devo” speaks to this focal concern. The aim of this article is therefore to argue for a precise formulation of evolutionary developmental biology's core question.