Royal decrees; interesting things I find; photographs I've taken; random thoughts on politics and culture as I know 'em; holidays both real and imaginary; and a fantasy novel page-by-page. "I hate hippies." -- Alicia Spanhake, Honorary Baroness of Síporozorígí |
Do you believe that "global warming" is going to destroy the world? Or do you believe that species "evolve"?
Here's what fruit flies have to say about it.
And yes, that was an either-or question.
Sotosoroto King, husband, architect, etc. etc. etc. |
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California Roadtrip, Summer 2006
Light Rail Neighborhood Density
Proposed Interstate 905 in Seattle
The World Does Not Agree with You
Failure Should Never Be Rewarded
Thoughts on Illegal Immigration
I'm a Native American, Dammit!
More "Global Warming" Skepticism
11-Team BCS Replacement Playoff
Giant Solar System Model along I-90
Restaurant at the End of the Universe Movie Idea
3 comments:
Sure, the predominant species characteristics evolve in response to environmental changes, but the more interesting question is, do new species evolve in response to environmental changes? Did new mammalian species evolve because of the climatic changes that killed the dinosaurs or were they already in existance and their population exploded when the dinosaurs died off? Jump in any time, Reni...
The general thinking is (to the best of my recollection, anyway) that when there are empty niches -- such as when the dinosaurs went away -- somebody will show up to fill them. So the dinos were doing their thing, they died out, left all these empty niches, and the few mammal species evolved into a bunch of species that could take advantage of the niches.
Another example is brachiopods and bivalves. Very similar creatures, but not related. There used to be a ton of brachiopods, then there was a mass extinction and only a few brachiopods survived. Now we have lots of bivalves (clams, scallops, mussels, cockles, oysters, etc.) and only a couple species of brachiopods.
So, to answer your question (I think), an ancestor species (or several species) usually exist before the mass extinction of the other group, then the ancestor species evolves into a bunch of different species to take advantage of the empty niches.
-Reni
I wonder how long it will take the rich shore-dwellers in places like Malibu, etc, to adapt to a 37" higher ocean! Most of the gorgeous houses in Ballard would be floating in inches, in the next high wave. Maybe then, they'll take it seriously??
I think most of London will be under water! And Manhattan will definitely be smaller.
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