Half a Century of Controversy: The Neutralist/Selectionist Debate in Molecular Evolution
Nicolas Galtier
Abstract
The neutral and nearly neutral theories, introduced more than 50 yr ago, have raised and still raise passionate discussion regarding the forces governing molecular evolution and their relative importance. The debate, initially focused on the amount of within-species polymorphism and constancy of the substitution rate, has spread, matured, and now underlies a wide range of topics and questions. The neutralist/selectionist controversy has structured the field and influences the way molecular evolutionary scientists conceive their research.
Topics & Concepts
Neutral theory of molecular evolutionBiologyBiological evolutionMolecular evolutionRange (aeronautics)Evolutionary biologyEpistemologyPhylogeneticsGeneticsPhilosophyGeneMaterials scienceComposite materialEvolution and Genetic DynamicsPhilosophy and History of ScienceGenetic diversity and population structure