Latest Evolutionary biology Stories

Biology textbooks maintain that the main function of sex is to promote genetic diversity. But Henry Heng, Ph.D., associate professor in WSU's Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, says that's not the case.Heng and fellow researcher Root Gorelick, Ph.D., associate professor at Carleton University in Canada, propose that although diversity may result from a combination of genes, the primary function of sex is not about promoting diversity. Rather, it's about keeping the genome context...

It seems we may have parasites to thank for the existence of sex as we know it. Indiana University biologists have found that, although sexual reproduction between two individuals is costly from an evolutionary perspective, it is favored over self-fertilization in the presence of coevolving parasites. Sex allows parents to produce offspring that are more resistant to the parasites, while self-fertilization dooms populations to extinction at the hands of their biological enemies.The July 8...

Lungless salamanders (Ensatina eschscholtzii) live in a horseshoe-shape region in California (a 'ring') which circles around the central valley. The species is an example of evolution in action because, while neighboring populations may be able to breed, the two populations at the ends of the arms of the horseshoe are effectively unable to reproduce. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology showed that this reproductive isolation was driven by...

Researcher challenges peers to repeat controversial findingsIf a person were to climb a towering redwood and take a sample from the top and bottom of the tree, a comparison would show that the DNA are different.Christopher A. Cullis, chair of biology at Case Western Reserve University, explains that this is the basis of his controversial research findings.Cullis, who has spent over 40 years studying mutations within plants, most recently flax (Linum usitatissimum), has found that the...

Evolutionary adaptation is often compared to climbing a hill, and organisms making the right combination of multiple mutations "“ both good and bad "“ can become the king of the mountain.A new study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London by BEACON researchers at Michigan State University suggests that the combined effect of multiple mutations working together can speed up this process. Through computer simulations, researchers at BEACON, a National Science...

The traffic of genes among populations may help living things better adapt to climate change, especially when genes flow among groups most affected by warming, according to a UC Davis study of the Sierra Nevada cutleaved monkeyflower. The results were published online June 27 by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.The findings have implications for conservation strategies, said Sharon Strauss, professor of evolution and ecology at UC Davis and an author of the...

The world's oceans are declining much faster than previously believed, a consortium of ocean experts warned on Monday.Ocean life is "at high risk of entering a phase of extinction of marine species unprecedented in human history," the scientists said in their report, blaming the problem on pollution, overfishing and other man-made causes that are acting simultaneously in ways not seen before.The panel of 27 of the world's top ocean experts said these conditions are pushing the oceans to...

A new study provides support for Darwin's hypothesis that the struggle for existence is stronger between more closely related species than those distantly related. While ecologists generally accept the premise, this new study contains the strongest direct experimental evidence yet to support its validity."We found that species extinction occurred more frequently and more rapidly between species of microorganisms that were more closely related, providing strong support for Darwin's...

IRVINE, Calif., June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LA Fitness® is pleased to announce the opening of its newest sports club, a 45,000 square foot facility in Philadelphia at 2560 Grant Avenue, near the intersection of Grant Avenue and Roosevelt Blvd. A grand opening party is scheduled for Saturday, July 16th. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100819/LA52539LOGO) "LA Fitness takes great pride in designing clubs that meet the needs of our members and the communities we serve. We're...

Researchers have discovered that parents give their children about 60 new genome mutations. The new value is reported in the first-ever direct study of new mutations coming from mother and father. Researchers measured directly the number of mutations in two families, using whole genome sequences from the 1000 Genomes Project.  The results also reveal that human genomes, like all genomes, are changed by the forces of mutation. New mutations are the ultimate source from which new variation...