Extended evolutionary synthesis

The extended evolutionary synthesis was called for in the 1950s by C. H. Waddington, argued for on the basis of punctuated equilibrium by Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge in the 1980s, and was reconceptualized in 2007 by Massimo Pigliucci and Gerd B. Müller.

[1][2] It includes multilevel selection, transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, niche construction, evolvability, and several concepts from evolutionary developmental biology.

[20] In the 1980s, entomologist Ryuichi Matsuda coined the term "pan-environmentalism" as an extended evolutionary synthesis which he saw as a fusion of Darwinism with neo-Lamarckism.

[28] In 2000, Robert L. Carroll called for an "expanded evolutionary synthesis" due to new research from molecular developmental biology, systematics, geology and the fossil record.

[29] In the 1980s, the American palaeontologists Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge argued for an extended synthesis based on their idea of punctuated equilibrium, the role of species selection shaping large scale evolutionary patterns and natural selection working on multiple levels extending from genes to species.

[34][5] By contrast, a different strand of evo-devo following an organismal approach[35][36][37][38][39][40] contributes to the extended synthesis by emphasizing (amongst others) developmental bias[41] (both through facilitation[42] and constraint[43]), evolvability,[44][45] and inherency of form [46][47] as primary factors in the evolution of complex structures and phenotypic novelties.

[52] This includes: Other processes such as evolvability, phenotypic plasticity, reticulate evolution, horizontal gene transfer, symbiogenesis are said by proponents to have been excluded or missed from the modern synthesis.

"[63] Arlin Stoltzfus and colleagues advocate mutational and developmental bias in the introduction of variation as an important source of orientation or direction in evolutionary change.

[64][65][66][67] They argue that bias in the introduction of variation was not formally recognized throughout the 20th century, due to the influence of neo-Darwinism on thinking about causation.

[75] According to ONCE, evolution is mainly driven by the behavioural choices and persistence of organisms themselves, whilst natural selection plays a secondary role.