Evolution & the Genetics of Populations Vol. #4: Variability within and among Natural Populations by

Evolution & the Genetics of Populations Vol. #4: Variability within and among Natural Populations by Sewell Wright

Format: Softcover, 580 pages

Publisher: The University of Chicago Press, 1978

ISBN: 0226910415

Condition: Fair; Damage on covers; Text clear and clean.

Evolution and the Genetics of Populations, Volume 4: Variability within and among Natural Populations is the final, monumental work in Sewall Wright's four-volume treatise, that synthesizes population genetics, focusing on genetic diversity in nature, methods like F-statistics, chromosome/biochemical/quantitative traits, speciation, and human genetics, offering deep insights into evolutionary mechanisms and historical context for modern biologists.

Population Genetics in Nature: Explores genetic variation (polymorphism, deleterious genes, quantitative traits) within and between real-world populations.

Methods: Discusses effective population size, genetic distance, and F-statistics for analyzing variability.

Human Variability: Analyzes genetic differences, including quantitative traits (like IQ, though using dated sources) and racial differentiation.

Speciation: Offers a historical account of how species form, contrasting his views with Fisher and Haldane.

Comprehensive Scope: Covers chromosome polymorphisms, biochemical variations, quantitative traits (like height, behavior), and general conclusions on evolution.

This is a Foundational Text: Considered essential reading for understanding Wright's comprehensive theory of evolution, complementing his Shifting Balance Theory.