Phylogenetic, Functional, and Geological Perspectives on Complex Multicellularity

Of all the events nominated as major transitions in evolution, none has received more attention than the rise of multicellularity. In part, this is because the subject can be approached from a number of perspectives, including systematics, developmental genetics, and the fossil record. And in part,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Major Transitions in Evolution Revisited p. 251
Main Authors Andrew H. Knoll, David Hewitt
Format Book Chapter
LanguageEnglish
Published The MIT Press 22.04.2011
Subjects
Biodiversity
Biological sciences
Biology
Biomedical Sciences
Cell biology
Cells
Cellular differentiation
Chalcogens
Chemical elements
Chemistry
Cytology
Developmental biology
Earth sciences
Ecology
Embryology
Eukaryotic cells
Evolution
Evolutionary biology
Evolutionary genetics
Evolutionary studies
Fossils
Geology
Oxygen
Paleobiology
Paleontology
Phylogenetics
Physical sciences
Population ecology
Species diversity
Stem cells
Synecology
Taphonomy
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Summary:Of all the events nominated as major transitions in evolution, none has received more attention than the rise of multicellularity. In part, this is because the subject can be approached from a number of perspectives, including systematics, developmental genetics, and the fossil record. And in part, of course, it is because multicellularity shapes our perceived biological landscape and, indeed, ourselves. In this chapter, we begin with a brief discussion of the phylogenetic distribution of multicellular organisms in general and complex multicellular life in particular, clarifying the important distinction between the two. We argue that multicellularity per se, the transfer of
ISBN:9780262015240
0262015242
DOI:10.7551/mitpress/8775.003.0018