National Academies Press: OpenBook
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×

COLLOQUIUM ON Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Toward a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
WASHINGTON, D.C.
2000

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Colloquium Series

In 1991, the National Academy of Sciences inaugurated a series of scientific colloquia, five or six of which are scheduled each year under the guidance of the NAS Council's Committee on Scientific Programs. Each colloquium addresses a scientific topic of broad and topical interest, cutting across two or more of the traditional disciplines. Typically two days long, colloquia are international in scope and bring together leading scientists in the field. Papers from colloquia are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×

National Academy of Sciences Colloquium

Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms Toward a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins

Beckman Center of the National Academies at Irvine, California

January 27–29, 2000

Organized by Francisco J. Ayala, Walter M. Fitch, and Michael T. Clegg

Welcoming Reception

Session I. Early and Prokaryote Evolution

Predicting the Course of Evolution: Viral Models • Walter M. Fitch (UC Irvine)

Genetic Variation and the Response of Bacteria to Natural and Not-So-Natural Selection • Bruce R. Levin (Emory)

The Evolution of RNA Viruses: A Population Genetics View • Andrés Moya (U. Valencia, Spain)

Origin of the Nucleus and Symbiogenesis • Lynn Margulis (U. Massachusetts)

Session II. Origins and Evolution of Eukaryote Cells:

Evolutionary Mobility of Organelle Genes–Migration to the Nucleus and Lateral Transfer between Organisms • Jeffrey D. Palmer (Indiana U.)

Transposable Elements in Plants • Nina Fedoroff (Penn State U.)

Evolution of RNA Editing in Kinetoplastid Protozoa • Larry Simpson (UCLA)

Evolution and Population Structure of Plasmodium • Francisco J. Ayala (UC Irvine)

Banquet Lecture:

Early Life - J. William Schopf (UCLA)

Session III. Patterns of Plant Evolution: Saturday, January 29, AM

Major Evolutionary Trends in Plants: The Fossil Record • David L. Dilcher (U. Florida)

Polyploid Evolution: Genetic and Genomic Consequences • Pamela S. Soltis (Wash. State U.)

Rates of Genome Evolution in Plants • Brandon S. Gaut (UC Irvine)

Flower Color Variation: A Model for the Experimental Study of Evolution • Michael T. Clegg (UC Riverside)

Session IV. Population Variation and Adaptation.

Variation in Plant Populations • Barbara A. Schaal (Washington U.)

Mating and Breeding Systems in Plant Evolution • Kent E. Holsinger (U. Connecticut)

Hybridization as Stimulus for the Evolution of Invasive Success in Exotic Plants • Norman C. Ellstrand (UC Riverside)

Origins of Domesticated Plants • Jared M. Diamond (UCLA)

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
This page in the original is blank.
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×

National Academy of Sciences Colloquia Bound Reprints Available

In 1991, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) inaugurated a series of scientific colloquia, several of which are held each year under the auspices of the NAS Council Committee on Scientific Programs. These colloquia address scientific topics of broad and topical interest that cut across two or more traditional disciplines. Typically two days long, these colloquia are international in scope and bring together leading scientists in the field.

Papers presented at these colloquia are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and are available online (www.pnas.org). Because they have generated much interest, these papers are now available in the form of collected bound reprints, which may be ordered through the National Academy Press.

Currently available are:

Carbon Dioxide and Climate Change ($11)

Held November 13–15, 1995 (Irvine, CA)

Computational Biomolecular Science ($16)

Held September 12–13, 1997 (Irvine, CA)

Earthquake Prediction ($16)

Held February 10–11, 1995 (Irvine, CA)

Elliptic Curves and Modular Forms ($7)

Held March 15–17, 1996 (Washington, DC)

Genetic Engineering of Viruses and Viral Vectors ($21)

Held June 9–11, 1996 (Irvine, CA)

Genetics and the Origin of Species ($8)

Held January 31–February 1, 1997 (Irvine, CA)

Geology, Mineralogy, and Human Welfare ($11) New!

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In the U.S. and Canada please add $4.50 for the first reprint ordered and $0.95 for each additional reprint.

Protecting Our Food Supply: The Value of Plant Genome Initiatives ($13)

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Proteolytic Processing and Physiological Regulation ($11) New!

Held February 20–21, 1999 (Irvine, CA)

Papers from future colloquia will be available for purchase after they appear in PNAS.

Science, Technology, and the Economy ($12)

Held November 20–22, 1995 (Irvine, CA)

To order, call toll-free 1-800-624-6242 or order online at www.nap.edu and receive a 20% discount.

The Age of the Universe, Dark Matter, and Structure Formation ($13)

Held March 21–23, 1997 (Irvine, CA)

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
This page in the original is blank.
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×

PNAS

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Contents

COLLOQUIUM

Papers from the National Academy of Sciences Colloquium on Variation and evolution in plants and microorganisms: Toward a new synthesis 50 years after Stebbins

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 
   

 Variation and evolution in plants and microorganisms: Toward a new synthesis 50 years after Stebbins
Francisco J. Ayala, Walter M. Fitch, and Michael T. Clegg

 

1

 

 

COLLOQUIUM PAPERS

 
   

 G. Ledyard Stebbins (1906–2000): An appreciation
Peter H. Raven

 

5

   

 Solution to Darwin's dilemma: Discovery of the missing Precambrian record of life
J. William Schopf

 

7

   

 The chimeric eukaryote: Origin of the nucleus from the karyomastigont in amitochondriate protists
Lynn Margulis, Michael F. Dolan, and Ricardo Guerrero

 

14

   

 Dynamic evolution of plant mitochondrial genomes: Mobile genes and introns and highly variable mutation rates
Jeffrey D. Palmer, Keith L. Adams, Yangrae Cho, Christopher L. Parkinson, Yin-Long Qiu, and Keming Song

 

20

   

 The evolution of RNA viruses: A population genetics view
Andrés Moya, Santiago F. Elena, Alma Bracho, Rosario Miralles, and Eladio Barrio

 

27

   

 Effects of passage history and sampling bias on phylogenetic reconstruction of human influenza A evolution
Robin M. Bush, Catherine B. Smith, Nancy J. Cox, and Walter M. Fitch

 

34

   

 Bacteria are different: Observations, interpretations, speculations, and opinions about the mechanisms of adaptive evolution in prokaryotes
Bruce R. Levin and Carl T. Bergstrom

 

41

   

 Evolution of RNA editing in trypanosome mitochondria
Larry Simpson, Otavio H. Thiemann, Nicholas J. Savill, Juan D. Alfonzo, and D. A. Maslov

 

46

   

 Population structure and recent evolution of Plasmodium falciparum
Stephen M. Rich and Francisco J. Ayala

 

54

   

 Transposons and genome evolution in plants
Nina Fedoroff

 

62

   

 Maize as a model for the evolution of plant nuclear genomes
Brandon S. Gaut, Maud Le Thierry d'Ennequin, Andrew S. Peek, and Mark C. Sawkins

 

68

   

 Flower color variation: A model for the experimental study of evolution
Michael T. Clegg and Mary L. Durbin

 

76

   

 Gene genealogies and population variation in plants
Barbara A. Schaal and Kenneth M. Olsen

 

84

   

 Toward a new synthesis: Major evolutionary trends in the angiosperm fossil record
David Dilcher

 

90

   

 Reproductive systems and evolution in vascular plants
Kent E. Holsinger

 

97

   

 Hybridization as a stimulus for the evolution of invasiveness in plants?
Norman C. Ellstrand and Kristina A. Schierenbeck

 

103

   

 The role of genetic and genomic attributes in the success of polyploids
Pamela S. Soltis and Douglas E. Soltis

 

113

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×

G. Ledyard Stebbins

1906–2000

Ledyard Stebbins, the most eminent plant evolutionist of the twentieth century, died on January 19, 2000, just 8 days before the colloquium on “Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms” was held on January 27–29, 2000, at the Beckman Center in Irvine, California. The colloquium, which he planned to attend, was sponsored by the National Academies of Sciences to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the publication of Stebbins' classic book “Variation and Evolution in Plants.” These proceedings include the papers presented at the colloquium.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
Page R1
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
Page R2
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
Page R3
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
Page R4
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
Page R5
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
Page R6
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
Page R7
Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Academy of Sciences. 2000. (NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10013.
×
Page R8
Next: Introduction: Variation and evolution in plants and microorganisms: Toward a new synthesis 50 years after Stebbins »
(NAS Colloquium) Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Towards a New Synthesis: 50 Years after Stebbins Get This Book
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In 1991, the National Academy of Sciences inaugurated a series of scientific colloquia, five or six of which are scheduled each year under the guidance of the NAS Council's Committee on Scientific Programs. Each colloquium addresses a scientific topic of broad and topical interest, cutting across two or more of the traditional disciplines. Typically two days long, colloquia are international in scope and bring together leading scientists in the field. Papers from colloquia are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The colloquium "Variation and Evolution in Plants and Microorganisms: Toward a New Synthesis 50 Years After Stebbins" celebrates the 50th anniversary of the publication of Stebbins' classic book, Variation and Evolution in Plants.

Variation and Evolution in Plants, published in 1950, the last of a quartet of classics that, in the second quarter of the 20th century, set forth what became known as the "synthetic theory of evolution" or "the modern synthesis." The other books are Theodosius Dobzhansky's Genetics and the Origin of Species (2), Ernst Mayr's Systematics and the Origin of Species (3), and George Gaylord Simpson's Tempo and Mode in Evolution (4). The pervading theory of these books is the molding of Darwin's evolution by natural selection within the framework of rapidly advancing genetic knowledge. Variation and Evolution in Plants distinctively extends the scope of the other books to the world of plants. Dobzhansky's perspective was that of the geneticist. Mayr's was that of the zoologist and systematist. Simpson's was that of the paleobiologist. All four books were outcomes of the famed Jesup Lectures at Columbia University. Plants, with their unique genetic, physiological, and evolutionary features, had been left out of the synthesis until then. In 1941, the eminent botanist Edgar Anderson was invited to write botany's analogue to Mayr's Systematics and the Origin of the Species and to publish it jointly with Mayr's book. Anderson did not fulfill the task, and Stebbins was thereafter invited to deliver the Jesup Lectures in 1947. Variation and Evolution in Plants is the outgrowth of those Lectures.

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