Organism and Environment: Ecological Development, Niche Construction, and Adaptation

A flawless and rousing contribution to ecological and evolutionary thought that is not quashed by complexity, but is inspired by it. * Renee A. Rossini, Austral Ecology * Organism and Environment is impressively synthetic, integrating ecology, evolution and developmental biology in as compelling a manner as any published monograph. Its dynamic systems approach slips smoothly across genetic, epigenetic, physiological, behavioural and community ecological levels, each explained in accessible prose. It is empirically strong, replete with taxonomically diverse examples that compel the reader to accept the argument. Sultan is to be congratulated on a landmark volume, crammed with insights and provocative findings that no contemporary biologist can afford to ignore * Kevin Laland, Trends in Ecology and Evolution * A magnificent book laying out the intellectual scope for the study of the interaction between organism and environment and for using the norm of reaction as the fundamental tool to provide a unified view of development...Sultan lays out the current situation, challenges, and opportunities clearly and precisely. Sonia Sultan has written a masterful book about evolution and development, grounded in the ecology and environment of the organism, using the norm of reaction to operationalize the study of evo-devo. All of the important major topics are covered in a thoughtful and well- referenced manner, making this book ideal for graduate students getting into the subject and senior workers wanting a thorough overview. * Marc Mangel, BioScience. * ... not only has Sultan reviewed and synthesized an impressive wealth of information, she also suggests how more information can be gathered and our understanding thereby improved and refined. The book is impressive in its use of diverse examples and its discussion of how eco-devo/niche construction are relevant to not only evolutionary biology and ecology but also to fields as diverse as conservation biology and medicine. Of note is the emphasis placed on the proximate developmental and ecological mechanisms underlying plasticity and niche construction. All of these features increase the bookâs appeal to a broad audience. ... Organism & Environment is an example-rich text that brings together ideas and data from diverse fields. In doing so, this book provides a fresh perspective on the evolving organism-environment relationship. * Nicholas A. Levis and David W. Pfenning, Evolution * This is a wonderful data-led exploration of how organisms relate to their environments and how environments relate to their organisms. Sultan is pointing towards a future extended synthesis in the biological sciences, and perhaps beyond, which integrates evolution, development and ecology. * Dr John Odling-Smee, University of Oxford * This book brings together considerable literature on the frontiers of ecological research... Thought-provoking and rich in ideas, it is particularly relevant for advanced undergraduate courses and graduate students in biology, ecology and environmental science. * A. M. Mannion, The Biologist * This book makes a major contribution by bringing the new perspectives in evolutionary biology to general attention. The book is written in a clear, straightforward style, using interesting and diverse empirical examples to outline changing theoretical approaches. * Professor Deborah M. Gordon, Stanford University * The book is a fascinating read for anyone who is ... interested in development, evolution and ecology ... This book is ideal for graduate-level students ... or for academics and researchers to get an overview. * Yvonne Buchholz, Basic and Applied Ecology *