Abstract
Evolutionary physiology is a new discipline with roots in comparative physiology. One major change in the emergence of this discipline was an explicit new focus on viewing organisms as the evolutionary products of natural selection. The shift in research emphasis from comparative physiology to evolutionary physiology has resulted in physiological traits becoming important elements in broad research programs of evolution and ecology. Evolutionary quantitative genetics is a theory-based biological discipline that has developed the quantitative tools to test explicit evolutionary hypotheses. The role of quantitative genetics has been paramount, in studying the microevolution of morphology, behavior and life history, but not comparative physiology. As a consequence, little basic information is known such as additive genetic variation of physiological traits and the magnitude of genetically based trade-offs (i.e., genetic correlations) with other traits. Here we explore possible causes for such gap, which we believe are related with the inconsistency of what we call physiological traits across taxonomic and organizational divisions, combined with logistical problems of pedigree‐based analyses in complex traits.
Highlights
Biology has always differed from chemistry and physics in the sense that fundamental theories and laws that aim to predict every phenomenon are unlikely to exist (Murray 2001)
We suggest comparative physiology is an example of this
As we have searched in the literature, very few of these interdisciplinary approaches have been carried out so far. In this commentary we discuss the potential of evolutionary quantitative genetics to explore the underlying causes of physiological adaptation, the probable causes for its absence in comparative physiology, and possible solutions for such missing link
Summary
Biology has always differed from chemistry and physics in the sense that fundamental theories and laws that aim to predict every phenomenon (as in the later) are unlikely to exist (Murray 2001). In this commentary we discuss the potential of evolutionary quantitative genetics to explore the underlying causes of physiological adaptation, the probable causes for its absence in comparative physiology, and possible solutions for such missing link.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
