Abstract
This book started with a review of how organisms change genetically, because genetic variability provides the raw material for evolution. Since natural selection always occurs in a setting, I now conclude with the other half of the story, namely, how an organism’s surroundings influence the evolutionary process. First, the issue is framed in terms of what is meant by an organism’s environment. The remainder of the chapter then contrasts how different kinds of organisms experience their environments.
The known facts of development and of natural history make it patently clear that genes do not determine individuals nor do environments determine species.
—R. Lewontin 1983, p. 276
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Suggested Additional Reading
Bonner, J.T. 1988. The evolution of complexity by means of natural selection. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, N.J. How increase in size and complexity of organisms has evolved, and implications for environment-organism interaction.
Harder, W., L. Dijkhuizen and H. Veldkamp. 1984. Environmental regulation of microbial metabolism. In The microbe 1984. Part II, Prokaryotes and eukaryotes. (D.P. Kelly and N.G. Karr, eds.). Harder, W., L. Dijkhuizen and H. Veldkamp, pp. 51–95. How microbes react physiologically to changing environments.
Lewontin, R.L. 1983. Gene, organism and environment. In Evolution from molecules to men (D.S. Bendall, ed.). Lewontin, R.L, pp. 273–285. A reminder that organisms both make and are made by their environments.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1991 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Andrews, J.H. (1991). The Environment. In: Comparative Ecology of Microorganisms and Macroorganisms. Brock/Springer Series in Contemporary Bioscience. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3074-8_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3074-8_7
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7786-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-3074-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive