Evolvability: progress and key questions

BioScience, vol. 75, pp. 1042–1057

Abstract

Since the 1990s, evolutionary biologists have recognized the importance of explaining the ability of biological systems to evolve and how this ability itself evolves. This recognition of the need to explain evolvability emerged from an awareness that the kind and the amount of heritable variation available for natural selection require explanation. The concept of evolvability is now the focus of many research programs in diverse subdisciplines within evolutionary biology. In the present article, we first review and synthesise progress made in evolvability research. We then present key questions to set an agenda for future research on evolvability, identify challenges to answer these questions, and discuss opportunities to apply results from the evolvability research to conservation biology.

Authors 26

1. Christophe Pélabon

   Norwegian University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Biology, , Trondheim ,

   Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

2. Gustavo A. Agudelo‐Cantero

   University of Oslo

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Oslo Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, , Blindern, Oslo ,

   Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway

3. Yimen G. Araya‐Ajoy

   Norwegian University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Biology, , Trondheim ,

   Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

4. Geir H. Bolstad

   Norwegian Institute for Nature Research

   Affiliation as printed

   Norwegian Institute for Nature Research , Trondheim ,

   Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway

5. Changde Cheng

   University of Alabama at Birmingham

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Alabama Department of Medicine, Stem Cell Program, Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, , Birmingham, Alabama ,

   Department of Medicine, Stem Cell Program, Department of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, United States

6. Frietson F Galis Aachen Naturalis Biodiversity Center

   Naturalis Biodiversity Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Naturalis Biodiversity Center , Leiden ,

   Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands

7. Frédéric Guillaume

   University of Helsinki

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Helsinki Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, , Helsinki ,

   Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

8. Thomas R. Haaland

   Norwegian University of Science and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Biology, , Trondheim ,

   Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

9. Benedikt Hallgrímsson

   University of Calgary

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Calgary Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, , Calgary, Alberta ,

   Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

10. Thomas F. Hansen

    University of Oslo

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Oslo Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, , Blindern, Oslo ,

    Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway

11. Agnes Holstad

    Norwegian University of Science and Technology · Norwegian Institute for Nature Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Norwegian Institute for Nature Research , Trondheim ,

    Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Biology, , Trondheim ,

    Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway

12. David Houle

    Florida State University

    Affiliation as printed

    Florida State University Department of Biological Science, , Tallahassee, Florida ,

    Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States

13. Gene Hunt

    Smithsonian Institution · National Museum of Natural History

    Affiliation as printed

    National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Department of Paleobiology, , Washington, DC ,

    Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, United States

14. Anders Isaksen

    University of Oslo

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Oslo Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, , Blindern, Oslo ,

    Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway

15. Lisandro Milocco

    Stockholm University · Science for Life Laboratory

    Affiliation as printed

    Stockholm University Department of Zoology, SciLifeLab, , Stockholm ,

    Department of Zoology, SciLifeLab, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden

16. Naïd Mubalegh

    University of Lisbon · University of Oslo · Centro de Filosofia das Ciências · Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Lisbon Centro de Filosofia das Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, , Lisbon ,

    University of Oslo Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, , Blindern, Oslo ,

    Université Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne Institut d'Histoire des Sciences et des Techniques, , Paris ,

    Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway

17. Laura Nuño de la Rosa

    Universidad Complutense de Madrid

    Affiliation as printed

    Complutense University of Madrid Department of Logic and Theoretical Philosophy, , Madrid ,

    Department of Logic and Theoretical Philosophy, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

18. Steven Hecht Orzack

    Fresh Pond Research Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Fresh Pond Research Institute , Cambridge, Massachusetts ,

    Fresh Pond Research Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

19. Arthur Porto

    Florida Museum of Natural History · University of Florida

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Florida Florida Museum of Natural History, Department of Biology, , Gainesville, Florida ,

    Florida Museum of Natural History, Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States

20. Jane M. Reid

    Norwegian University of Science and Technology

    Affiliation as printed

    Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Biology, , Trondheim ,

    Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

21. Jacqueline L. Sztepanacz

    University of Toronto

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Toronto Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, , Toronto, Ontario ,

    Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

22. Eivind A. B. Undheim

    University of Oslo

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Oslo Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, , Blindern, Oslo ,

    Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway

23. Cristina Villegas

    Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research , Klosterneuburg ,

    Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Klosterneuburg, Austria

24. Kjetil Lysne Voje

    University of Oslo

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Oslo Natural History Museum, , Oslo ,

    Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

25. Craig A. Walling

    University of Edinburgh

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Edinburgh Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Science, , Edinburgh, Scotland ,

    Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

26. JONATHAN M. WRIGHT

    Norwegian University of Science and Technology

    Affiliation as printed

    Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Biology, , Trondheim ,

    Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway