Colleagues,
I have also received the same email at San Diego State University.
After a google search on some of the email's text, I found a page at
talkorigins.org (a creationist web site) that critiques a scenario
about speciation that is similar to that discussed in the email.
see http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-speciation.html
My guess is that someone is trying to 1) remotely engage in a debate
about evolution, or more likely 2) obtain emails from academics on
the topic of speciation so that they may lift a few phrases out of
context to quote them later on a web site.
Considering the deceptive nature of this email, it is probably best
to ignore it.
Andrew Bohonak
Dear Colleagues,
This is a head's up for those about to give examinations related to ecology.
Several ecology faculty here at OSU have simultaneously (at 3:00 AM
on Sunday) received the following message. It arrived via an aol
address. The name has been removed from the text below, but it does
not match any students enrolled at OSU. It is hard to imagine that
this is a particular request for a student who is 'just interested
in the topic'. On the chance that the message has originated from
someone who has happened upon an advanced copy of an examination, I
thought it would be prudent to send this to the list in case the
author of the examination is an ecolog-l subscriber.
--Mike
_______________________________________________________________________________
My name is **** and I am a sophomore at OK State. The school website
must be down because the email server isn't working. I found a
peculiar genetics question / scenario that I was of interest. Based
off your research and professional interests I was hoping you could
shed light on two of these questions I have.
My first question is: lets say there are two widely separated ponds
that each have a population of a species of sunfish in them.
Assuming I obtained demographic data on these two populations that
showed that there are differences in the sunfish life histories
between the two populations. I need to develop a scenario in which
differences in a particular biotic factor between the two observed
populations might lead to these two populations evolving differences
in their life histories, despite being the same species?? Its kind
of a tongue twister and I am having trouble.
My second questions theoretical question that I am not to sure on my
answer. I have to simulate an environment where I create an
artificial pond in your backyard that's looks as natural as possible
and self-sustaining, just as a pond might be in nature. I stick a
few males and females (when sexes are separate) of several aquatic
plant and animal species, including invertebrates and vertebrates. I
do not artificially provide any outside sources of food or nutrients.
A.) I have to explain why the population of each species in my pond
could expect to initially grow exponentially.
(B) Then I have to explain why each population could be expected to
grow exponentially only for a short period in nature?
If you could please lead me in the right direction and explain to me
the steps as to how this happens, I would really appreciate it,
thanks!
--
Andrew J. Bohonak
Associate Professor
Vice Chair and Director of Undergraduate Advising and Curriculum
San Diego State University
Department of Biology, MC 4614
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-4614
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Phone: 619-594-0414
Fax: 619-594-5676
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web: http://www.bio.sdsu.edu/pub/andy/index.html
Office: 212 Life Science North
