Stacy.
At 11:13 AM 11/22/2002 +0000, you wrote:
Adaptation that can be properly characterized as "mimicry" in plants is indicative of some mechanism or force that cannot be accounted for within the current domain of evolutionary philosophy. My belief is that the science of evolution cannot accomodate or explain the gradual development of complex subsystems that confer no adaptive advantage to the organism before they are wholly in place and fully functional.In the case of plants which mimic an aphid infestation, it is not possible for any isolated individual characteristic of the multiple adaptive changes required to begin "mimicing", to give these plants any higher level of "fitness". For example, "aphid"-like stem growths may consist of several changes at the tissue level of the plant to effectively serve as "aphid" mimics. Disruption of the regularly smooth deposition of phloem and epidermal tissue layers must take place, to mimic the irregular shape of aphids attached to the plant stem. Subsequently, the irregular tissue must assume contrasting pigmentation to complete the hoax. Neither feature is useful as a "mimic" independent of the other. Since neither feature independent of the other provides the plant with any evolutionary advantage, any motivating cause for such changes is lacking, and there is nothing to support the idea that the plants developed these features through adaptive evolution. --- Mij Ebaboc ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.399 / Virus Database: 226 - Release Date: 10/09/2002
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