Telling the Evolutionary Time: Molecular Clocks and the Fossil Record / Edition 1

by Philip C J Donoghue, M. Paul Smith

Overview

Determining the precise timing for the evolutionary origin of groups of organisms has become increasingly important as scientists from diverse disciplines attempt to examine rates of anatomical or molecular evolution and correlate intrinsic biological events to extrinsic environmental events. Molecular clock analyses indicate that many major groups are twice as old, or more, than a literal reading of the fossil record attests, implying that the fossil record is incomplete. Few paleontologists agree that the fossil record is inadequate, arguing instead that our understanding of the molecular clock is far from ideal.

Telling the Evolutionary Time: Molecular Clocks and the Fossil Record represents a discussion between molecular biologists and paleontologists, in which they investigate the significance of competing sources of data, explain the nature of molecular clocks and the fossil record, and strive to develop compromise models that incorporate contradictory opinions. These are presented as a series of case studies dealing with many of the most important groups of complex organisms, such as protists, land plants, flowering plants, complex animals, chordates, vertebrates, tetrapods, and modern birds.

Bringing fresh insight and various perspectives to a complicated argument, this book assembles all sides of the debate into one comprehensive text. It is a significant volume for research scientists and advanced students across the field of evolutionary biology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367394738
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/25/2019
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Philip C. J. Donoghue, M. Paul Smith

Table of Contents

Contributors vii

Introduction: molecular clocks and the fossil record - towards consilience? Philip C.J. Donoghue M. Paul Smith 1

1 Molecular clocks: whence and whither? Francisco Rodríguez-Trelles Rosa Tarrío Francisco J. Ayala 5

2 Molecular clocks and a biological trigger for Neoproterozok Snowball Earth events and the Cambrian explosion S. Blair Hedges 27

3 Phylogenetic fuses and evolutionary 'explosions': conflicting evidence and critical tests Richard A. Fortey Jennifer Jackson Jan Strugnell 41

4 The quality of the fossil record Michael J. Benton 66

5 Ghost ranges Christopher R.C. Paul 91

6 Episodic evolution of nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA gene in the stem-lineage of Foraminifera Jan Pawlowski Cédric Berney 107

7 Dating the origin of land plants Charles H. Wellman 119

8 Angiosperm divergence times: congruence and incongruence between fossils and sequence divergence estimates Niklas Wikström Vincent Savolainen Mark W. Chase 142

9 The limitations of the fossil record and the dating of the origin of the Bilateria Graham E. Budd Sören Jensen 166

10 The origin and early evolution of chordates: molecular clocks and the fossil record Philip C.J. Donoghue M. Paul Smith Ivan J. Sansom 190

11 Bones, molecules, and crown-tetrapod origins Marcello Ruta Michael I. Coates 224

12 The fossil record and molecular clocks: basal radiations within the Neornithes Gareth J. Dyke 263

Systematics Association Publications 279

Index 283