Adaptability: The Significance of Variability from Molecule to Ecosystem

The capacity to adapt is essential for the life process at all levels of organization, from that of the gene to those of the ecosystem and human society. Unique in its classification of the mechanisms and modes of adaptability at all levels of biological organization, this book presents a framework for analyzing, handling, and describing the interrelations of adaptability processes. This book will be of great interest to scientists and philosophers concerned with the origin, limits, and predictability of biological systems and with the significance of dynamic modeling. It will also be a useful acquisition for students of computer science, physics, or mathematics who are interested in the application of their disciplines to biological problems.