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Bezig met laden... Liaisons of Life: From Hornworts to Hippos, How the Unassuming Microbe Has Driven Evolutiondoor Tom Wakeford
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 Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek.  IslandDave | Apr 12, 2009 |  geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
A fascinating exploration of symbiosis at the microscopic level and its radical extension of Darwinism Microbes have long been considered dangerous and disgusting-in short, "scum." But by forming mutually beneficial relationships with nearly every creature, be it alga with animals or zooplankton with zebrafish, microbes have in fact been innovative players in the evolutionary process. Now biologist and award-winning science writer Tom Wakeford shows us this extraordinary process at work. He takes us to such far-flung locales as underwater volcanoes, African termite mounds, the belly of a cow and even the gaps between our teeth, and there introduces us to a microscopic world at turns bizarre, seductive, and frightening, but ever responsible for advancing life in our macroscopic world. In doing so he also justifies the courage and vision of a series of scientists-from a young Beatrix Potter to Lynn Margulis-who were persecuted for believing evolution is as much a matter of interdependence and cooperation as it is great too-little-told tales of evolutionary science. Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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 Google Books — Bezig met laden...GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)576.8Natural sciences and mathematics Life Sciences, Biology Genetics and evolution EvolutionLC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde: (3.75)
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I've been on a kick lately learning about Dawkin's Extended Phenotype and the idea that genetics can drive a complex system in ways that aren't solely isolated to a single body vehicle. I thought this book might take up that idea and run with it, but the author doesn't quite make that connection to dawkins. However, he comes very close with Liaisons. This book is a quick read and includes examples of microbes that have joined larger plants or animals to become symbionts. Most of the examples are of mutually beneficial relationships between the microbes and their hosts, including lichen, angler fish, legumes, and many others.
This is an area of science that is fascinating, quickly changing, and can be mind boggling at times, but I felt Wakeford did an excellent job conveying his points and explaining the complex relationships without overburdening with deep science. There is good detail in the book, and it is not for the very casual science reader, but still approachable by curious readers. Recommended for anyone seeking an extention of the Phenotype idea or general science readers. Four stars. (