Life-history evolution in the laboratory

Abstract

A common perception about evolutionary biology is that it largely pertains to the study of fossils or the biological diversity. Similarly there is often an impression that the life history of the species is some kind of fixed characteristic of that species I use results from on going studies in my laboratory direct and correlated responses to selection for faster development and early reproduction in fruitfly Drosophila melanogasten  to illustrate the feasibility of rigorously studying the evolution of life histories of laboratory I show that (a) evolutionary biology can be rigorous experimental science (b) very often traits we think should evolve  do not do so due to genetic constraints and (c) there are great advantages of working with laboratory systems one is trying to understand the evolutionary process