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Metazoan Complexity and Evolution: Is There a Trend?

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  • Daniel W. McShea

Abstract

The notion that complexity increases in evolution is widely accepted, but the best-known evidence is highly impressionistic. In this paper, I propose a scheme for understanding complexity which provides a conceptual basis for objective measurement. The Scheme also shows complexity to be a composite term covering four independent types. For each type, I describe some of the measures that have been devised and review the evidence for trends in the maximum and mean. In metazoans as a whole, there is good evidence only for an early-Phanerozoic trend, and only in one type of complexity. For each of the other types, some trends have been documented but only in a small number of metasoan subgroups. Key words. complexity, trends, hierarchy, Metazoa, macroevolution

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel W. McShea, 1996. "Metazoan Complexity and Evolution: Is There a Trend?," Working Papers 96-01-002, Santa Fe Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:wop:safiwp:96-01-002
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    Cited by:

    1. Tim Cochrane & James Maclaurin, 2012. "Evolvability and progress in evolutionary economics," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 101-114, July.
    2. Mark A. Bedau & Emile Snyder & C. Titus Brown & Norman H. Packard, 1998. "A Comparison of Evolutionary Activity in Artificial Evolving Systems and in the Biosphere," Working Papers 98-03-024, Santa Fe Institute.
    3. Hodgson, Geoffrey M. & Knudsen, Thorbjørn, 2010. "Generative replication and the evolution of complexity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 12-24, July.
    4. Mark A. Bedau & Emile Snyder & Norman H. Packard, 1998. "Classification of Long-Term Evolutionary Dynamics," Working Papers 98-03-025, Santa Fe Institute.

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