EVOLUTION, SCIENCE, AND SOCIETY EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY AND THE NATIONAL RESEARCH AGENDA A companion document serves as an executive summary. To receive copies of either report, or for more informa- tion, please consult our web site via http://www.amnat.org or contact one of the Chairs listed below. Prepared by delegates representing the following scientific societies. These societies have all endorsed the final document. American Society of Naturalists Animal Behavior Society Ecological Society of America Genetics Society of America Paleontological Society Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution Society for the Study of Evolution Society of Systematic Biologists Additional endorsement by: American Institute of Biological Sciences With financial sponsorship from: A.P. Sloan Foundation National Science Foundation Editorial Chair: Douglas J. Futuyma, State University of New York–Stony Brook Organizational Chair: Thomas R. Meagher, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Steering Committee: Michael J. Donoghue, Harvard University James Hanken, University of Colorado Charles H. Langley, University of California–Davis Linda Maxson, University of Iowa Working Group: Albert F. Bennett, University of California–Irvine H. Jane Brockmann, University of Florida Marcus W. Feldman, Stanford University Walter M. Fitch, University of California–Irvine Laurie R. Godfrey, University of Massachusetts David Jablonski, University of Chicago Carol B. Lynch, University of Colorado Leslie Real, Emory University Margaret A. Riley, Yale University J. John Sepkoski, Jr., University of Chicago Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis, University of Florida Designed and produced by the Office of University Publications, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey LA-161-99 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 PREAMBLE 2 I. INTRODUCTION 3 II. WHAT IS EVOLUTION? 3 III. WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY? 5 A. Subdisciplines of Evolutionary Biology 5 B. Perspectives from Evolutionary Biology 7 IV. HOW IS EVOLUTION STUDIED? 8 V. H OW DOES EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY? 11 A. Human Health and Medicine 11 B. Agriculture and Natural Resources 14 C. Finding Useful Natural Products 17 D. Environment and Conservation 17 E. Applications beyond Biology 19 F. Understanding Humanity 19 VI. HOW DOES EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY CONTRIBUTE TO BASIC SCIENCE? 20 A. Accomplishments in the Study of Evolution 20 B. Contributions to Other Biological Disciplines 24 VII. WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY? 27 A. Applied Science 27 B. Basic Science 31 VIII. MECHANISMS FOR MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE 35 A. Advancing Understanding through Research 35 B. Advancing Understanding through Education 37 C. Advancing Understanding through Communication 38 IX. CONCLUSION 39 BIBLIOGRAPHY 41 APPENDICES 43 I. Evolution: Fact, Theory, Controversy 43 II. How This Document Was Produced 44 III. Glossary of Frequently Used Terms 44 IV. Matching Evolutionary Research to Agency Missions 45 volutionary biology is the study of the history of life and the processes that lead to its diversity. Based on principles of adaptation, chance, and history, evolutionary biology seeks to explain all the characteristics of organisms, and, therefore, occupies a central position in the biological sciences. RELEVANCE OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY TO THE ADVANCING UNDERSTANDING THROUGH RESEARCH NATIONAL RESEARCH AGENDA To capitalize on evolutionary biology as an organizing and The twenty-first century will be the “Century of Biology.” integrating principle, we urge that: Driven by a convergence of accelerating public concerns, the ■ evolutionary perspectives be incorporated as a foundation biological sciences will be increasingly called on to address issues for interdisciplinary research to address complex vital to our future well-being: threats to environmental quality, scientific problems food production needs due to population pressures, new dangers ■ evolutionary biologists work toward building meaningful to human health prompted by the emergence of antibiotic links between basic research and practical application resistance and novel diseases, and the explosion of new technolo- ■ evolutionary biology play a more explicit role in the gies in biotechnology and computation. Evolutionary biology in overall mission of federal agencies that could benefit from particular is poised to make very significant contributions. It will contributions made by this field contribute directly to pressing societal challenges as well as inform and accelerate other biological disciplines. ADVANCING UNDERSTANDING THROUGH EDUCATION Evolutionary Biology has unequivocally established that We encourage major efforts to strengthen curricula in all organisms evolved from a common ancestor over the last primary and secondary schools, as well as in colleges and 3.5 billion years; it has documented many specific events in universities, including: evolutionary history; and it has developed a well-validated ■ support of supplemental training for primary school teachers theory of the genetic, developmental, and ecological mechanisms and or midcareer training for secondary school science of evolutionary change. The methods, concepts, and perspec- teachers in evolutionary biology tives of evolutionary biology have made and will continue to ■ greater emphasis on evolution in undergraduate college make important contributions to other biological disciplines, curricula for biology majors and premedical students, with such as molecular and developmental biology, physiology, and accessible alternative courses for non-majors ecology, as well as to other basic sciences such as psychology, anthropology, and computer science. ■ integration of relevant evolutionary concepts into the In order for evolutionary biology to realize its full potential, postbaccalaureate training of all biologists and of biologists must integrate the methods and results of evolutionary professionals in areas such as medicine, law, agriculture, research with those of other disciplines both within and outside of and environmental sciences biology. We must apply evolutionary research to societal problems, ADVANCING UNDERSTANDING THROUGH COMMUNICATION and we must include the implications of that research in the education of a scientifically informed citizenry. We urge the following roles for evolutionary biologists: To further such goals, delegates from eight major profes- ■ communicating to federal agencies, and to other institutions sional scientific societies in the United States, whose subject that support basic or applied research, the relevance of matter includes evolution, have prepared this document. It evolutionary biology to the missions of these organizations includes contributions by other specialists in various areas. ■ training the next generation of evolutionary biologists to be Feedback on earlier drafts was elicited from the community of aware of the relevance of their field to societal needs evolutionary biologists in the United States, and the draft was ■ informing the public about the nature, progress, and made public on the World Wide Web. The delegates arrived at implications of evolutionary biology a series of recommendations that address the areas that follow. 1 PREAMBLE ■ to suggest ways in which progress can be facilitated in Three great themes run through the biological sciences: basic research, in applications of evolutionary biology to function, unity, and diversity. Much of biology, from molecular societal needs, and in science education. biology to behavioral biology, from bacteriology to medicine, This document was prepared for decision-makers is concerned with the mechanisms by which organisms responsible for guiding basic and applied scientific research and function. Many of these mechanisms are adaptations: features for developing educational curricula at all levels. Delegates from that enhance survival and reproduction. Some adaptations eight major professional scientific societies in the United States are found only in certain groups of organisms, but others are whose subject matter includes evolution have developed the shared by almost all living things, reflecting the unity of life. document. Contributions have also been made by other At the same time, the diversity of characteristics among the specialists in various topics. A draft of the document was earth’s millions of species is staggering. revised in light of feedback elicited from the community of The unity, diversity, and adaptive characteristics of evolutionary biologists in the United States and by making the organisms are consequences of evolutionary history, and can be draft available for public comment at scientific meetings and on understood fully only in this light. The science of evolutionary the World Wide Web. Although full agreement cannot be biology is the study of the history of life and of the processes expected on every detail and point of emphasis, the major that lead to its unity and diversity. Evolutionary biology sheds points and conclusions in the following pages represent the light on phenomena studied in the fields of molecular biology, opinion of a large majority of professional evolutionary developmental biology, physiology, behavior, paleontology, biologists in the United States. ecology, and biogeography, complementing these disciplines’ study of biological mechanisms with explanations based on I. INTRODUCTION history and adaptation. Throughout the biological sciences, the “What a piece of work is man! The beauty of the world, the evolutionary