Week13 PP

Evolutionary development is a branch of biological study. Two lines of research in the field have developed across a span of twenty years since its conception. One branch of evolutionary development focuses on discrete and qualitative changes in phenotype. The other focuses on research done through investigating complex phenotypes though quantitative developmental phenomena. However, there is potential for the two to be used together in explaining processes and mechanisms of evolutionary development over time. In recent years, evolutionary development offers insight on specific molecular connections between genotype and morphology. Still, the importance of how the morphology interacts with the environment will make the final determination on the fitness of the genotype. Therefore, evolutionary development has a greater potential if it is broadened from the fine details of the genotype all the way to how those genotypes affect resource use (Irschick, Albertson et al, 2013).