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E-book
Author Grant, Bruce S., 1942- author.

Title Observing evolution : peppered moths and the discovery of parallel melanism / Bruce S. Grant
Published Baltimore, Maryland : Johns Hopkins University Press, [2021]
©2021

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Description 1 online resource (xii, 306 pages)
Contents PART I -- 1. Passing the Baton -- 2. Peppered Moths 101 -- 3. Catching Moths Using Light Traps -- 4. Camouflage -- 5. The Rest-Site Selection Controversy -- 6. A Feeling for the Organism -- 7. Elizabethan Moths -- 8. Nonrandom Rest-Site Selection in Captivity -- 9. Life at Mountain Lake -- 10. Travel Arrangements -- PART II -- 11. Wirral Welcome -- 12. Coffee with the Clarkes -- 13. A Clockwork Orange -- 14. Surface Reflectance -- 15. How to Pick Up a Moth -- 16. Birch Moths -- 17. Cultural Assimilation -- 18. Caterpillars -- 19. Long Season's End -- 20. Yankees Go Home -- PART III -- 21. From Field to Lab -- 22. The Talk -- 23. The Grand Pub -- PART IV -- 24. Summer School -- 25. Coauthors -- PART V -- 26. Nihongo -- 27. Gaijin -- 28. Reception -- 29. Around Town -- 30. In the Field -- 31. Tajima -- 32. Fisheries Lab -- 33. Hokkaido -- 34. Tourists -- 35. Nagano -- 36. East Meets West -- PART VI -- 37. Serendipity -- 38. Allelic Melanism -- 39. Conspecific Pheromones -- 40. Howard Hughes Lecture -- 41. Mr. Parallel Evolution -- 42. Aerogrammes -- 43. Edwin S. George Reserve -- 44. Farewell and Welcome -- 45. Nature -- 46. Round Two -- 47. Oxfordshire -- 48. New York Times -- 49. Expanding Views
Summary The extraordinary tale of the humble peppered moth is at the very foundation of our acceptance of Darwinian evolution. When scientists in the early twentieth century discovered that a British population of the small, speckled Biston betularia had become black over the course of mere decades in response to the industrial revolution's encroaching soot, the revelation cemented Darwin's theory of natural selection. This finding was the staple example of "evolution in action" until the turn of the millennium, when proponents of Creationism fomented doubts about the legitimacy of early experiments. In the midst of this upheaval, evolutionary biologist Bruce S. Grant and his respected contemporaries were determinedly building a dataset that would ultimately vindicate the theory of industrial melanism in the peppered moth and, by extension, the theory of natural selection itself. Observing Evolution tells the remarkable story of his work. Shining a light on the little-known but pivotal efforts of scientists who tested Darwin's trailblazing theory, Grant chronicles the historical foundations of peppered moth research, then explains how he and his collaborators were able to push this famous study forward. He describes how his experiments were designed and conducted while painting a vivid picture of the personalities, events, and adventures around the world that shaped his successes--and struggles. His story culminates with his discovery of the mirrored "rise and fall" of melanism in peppered moth populations separated by the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, which settled this intense controversy around evolution by documenting nature's recurring experiment. Observing Evolution is a crash course in natural selection and the history of evolutionary biology for anyone interested in Darwin's legacy. It's also a fascinating read for lepidopterists and scientists interested in the bridge between classic experiments and today's sophisticated DNA sequencing, which reveals in ever greater detail how the lives of these tiny organisms have such enormous implications
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on August 09, 2021)
Subject Peppered moth.
Melanism.
Moths -- Evolution
Peppered moth
Melanism
Form Electronic book
ISBN 1421441667
9781421441665
Other Titles Peppered moths and the discovery of parallel melanism