Citation
Niche Construction: The Neglected Process in Evolution
TL;DR
Organisms inherit not only genes but modified environments from previous generations (ecological inheritance)
The foundational text formalizing niche construction theory. Challenges the traditional view of evolution as adaptation to fixed environments, instead arguing that organisms actively shape their selective environments through environmental modifications. This creates feedback loops where modifications alter selection pressures, which favor traits that further modify environments. The book provides the theoretical framework for understanding how companies can architect markets rather than merely adapt to them.
Key Findings from Odling-Smee et al. (2003)
- Organisms inherit not only genes but modified environments from previous generations (ecological inheritance)
- Niche construction creates feedback loops between organisms and environments that can accelerate or constrain evolution
- Environmental modification is a distinct evolutionary process alongside natural selection, genetic drift, and mutation