Monroe Melanie J, Bokma Folmer
Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Theory Biosci. 2010 Sep;129(2-3):103-11. doi: 10.1007/s12064-010-0087-7. Epub 2010 Jun 1.
The theory of punctuated equilibrium, which proposes that biological species evolve rapidly when they originate rather than gradually over time, has sparked intense debate between palaeontologists and evolutionary biologists about the mode of character evolution and the importance of natural selection. Difficulty in interpreting the fossil record prevented consensus, and it remains disputed as to what extent gradual change in established species is responsible for phenotypic differences between species. Against the historical background of the concept of evolution concentrated in speciation events, we review attempts to investigate tempo and mode of evolution using present-day species since the introduction of the theory of punctuated equilibrium in 1972. We discuss advantages, disadvantages, and prospects of using neontological data, methodological advances, and the findings of some recent studies.
间断平衡理论提出生物物种在起源时进化迅速，而非随时间逐渐进化，这在古生物学家和进化生物学家之间引发了关于性状进化模式和自然选择重要性的激烈争论。解释化石记录的困难阻碍了达成共识，关于现有物种的渐变在多大程度上导致物种间表型差异仍存在争议。在进化概念集中于物种形成事件的历史背景下，我们回顾了自1972年间断平衡理论提出以来，利用现代物种研究进化速度和模式的尝试。我们讨论了使用现代生物数据的优缺点、前景、方法进展以及一些近期研究的发现。
