redwolf writes:
PE requires these tiny peripheral groups to conquer vastly larger groups of animals millions if not billions of times, which is like requiring Custer to win at the little Big Horn every day, for millions of years.
This has actually been demonstrated in historical times by birds introduced to North America, occuring within a 50 year period.
See: http://
EvC Forum: Differential Dispersal Of Introduced Species - An Aspect of Punctuated EquilibriumDifferential Dispersal Of Introduced Species (Re: Aspect of Punctuated Equilibrium) -- 50 starlings introduced in 1890's and within 50 years they had spread to cover from the east coast to the west coast. The error here is the "like requiring Custer to win at the little Big Horn every day" thinking -- all they need to do is survive to breed, and starlings do that very well.
European House Sparrows are similar, but the time period is not as well known, it is less than 150 years, though, and that is still an instant in geological time.
There are also other examples that show that such things do not always happen to 'pan out' for the new species (several died out, as would be predicted from an evolution viewpoint)
This does, however, show the fallacy of the argument from incredulity (redwolfs forte, and most of the argument presented above): the lack of ability to imagine how a process occurs is no hinderance to the actual process used ... nature has already solved that problem.
Truth will beat opinion everytime.
{{Added by edit}}
As this is offtopic I suggest replies be taken to
EvC Forum: Differential Dispersal Of Introduced Species - An Aspect of Punctuated Equilibrium
Differential Dispersal Of Introduced Species (Re: Aspect of Punctuated Equilibrium)
Enjoy.
This message has been edited by RAZD, 07-09-2004 08:55 PM
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