Epigenetic Variations in Heredity and Evolution

The biological and medical importance of epigenetics is now taken for granted, but the significance of one aspect of it-epigenetic inheritance-is less widely recognized. New data suggest that not only is it ubiquitous, but both the generation and the transmission of epigenetic variations may be affected by developmental conditions. Population studies, formal models, and research on genomic and ecological stresses all suggest that epigenetic inheritance is important in both micro- and macroevolutionary change.