🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sat, 03 Jun 2000 14:42:07 GMT, Bob <rdwillia@flash.net> wrote:


>If you, or anyone, would like to refute one single (simple) idea of a
>Thesis, try # 12:
>
>"The "fitness" of many species is limited by a factor unknown to Science."

>Kindly explain how the Darwinian feature of "Survival of the Fittest"
>(Natural Selection, Differential Reproductive Success", etc.) can account
>for the "very expensive" acorn of the Oak tree after 100 million or so years
>of the Oak becoming the "fittest". (You yourself have raised the issue of
>"economy" as being a factor in evolution.) It should be noted, that this
>argument, unrefuted, is FATAL to the crux of Darwin's theory. It is only ONE
>of the Theses.
>
>It is obvious that if the much vaunted "mutations" that are constantly being
>"Selected" to be the fittest, have occurred in the Oak, why haven't they
>produced a seed more in line with those of the Cottonwood tree, (far more
>efficient), or even a much more efficient (more "fit") seed such as that of
>the ubiquitous Dandelion? These genetic features are numerous throughout
>species, and if evolution is true, similar characteristics have "evolved"
>1000's of times. Note that every Oak is in competition with all other plants
>for resources, and its greatest competition would be with other Oaks. Thus,
>a smaller, more efficient, inedible, widely dispersed, seed would be crucial
>to survival of a varied (more fit) species. Such a "mutation", would be a
>immense improvement to the species. Witness the Dandelion.

[rest of "thesis" deleted.]

Your "thesis" is more a critique of Lamarckain evolution than
Darwinian evolution.  Mutations do not appear because they are
"needed" and there is no absolute measure of fitness.  Dandelions and
oaks occupy different niches.  The dandelion is not ubiquitous.  It
does not grow on the floor of Oak-Maple-Hickory forests.  

Oak and Dandelion have evolved different methods of seed dispersal.
Wind dispersed seeds cannot carry a large store of endosperm.  Oak
seeds are dispersed by animals and the large endosperm store gives
animals a reason to gather and distribute oak seeds.

Additionally, oak seedlings are shade tolerent.  Dandelion and
cottonwood are not.  On of the reasons they are shade tolerent is that
the store of endosperm allows rapid growth early without a lot of
sunlight.  Oak is part of the climax community in many parts of the
world.  Shade tolerant plants are able to grow on the floor of pine
forests and eventually replace pines in the process of ecological
succession in places where water and climate permit.