Evolutionary physiology

Evolutionary physiology represents an explicit fusion of two complementary approaches: evolution and physiology. Stimulated by four major intellectual and methodological developments (explicit consideration of diverse evoluti onary mechanisms, phylogenetic approaches, incorporation of the perspective s and tools of evolutionary genetics and selection studies, and generalizat ion of molecular techniques to exotic organisms), this field achieved promi nence during the past decade. It addresses three major questions regarding physiological evolution: (a) What are the historical, ecological, and phylo genetic patterns of physiological evolution? (b) How important are and were each of the known evolutionary processes (natural selection, sexual select ion, drift, constraint, genetic coupling/hitchhiking, and others) in engend ering or Limiting physiological evolution? and(c) How do the genotype, phen otype, physiological performance, and fitness interact in influencing one a nother's future values? To answer these questions, evolutionary physiology examines extant and historical variation and diversity, standing genetic an d phenotypic variability in populations, and past and ongoing natural selec tion in the wild. Also, it manipulates genotypes, phenotypes, and environme nts of evolving populations in the laboratory and field. Thus, evolutionary physiology represents the infusion of paradigms, techniques, and approache s of evolutionary biology, genetics, and systematics into physiology. The r eciprocal infusion of physiological approaches into evolutionary biology an d systematics can Likewise have great value and is a future goal.