"Correct me if I am wrong, but is not environmental change a major cause of the creation of new > species? Is this not a silver lining? Change is the only constant in the > universe. It is the nature > of humans to object to this fundimental fact.Cynthia, Prescott, AZ
I have to agree. If there were no humans on the planet, more than likely, species and probably entire genus's(sp?) would still cease to exist. New ones would come along. Granted, wholesale destruction of habitats by humans is, in no way natural, and I believe we should attempt to limit it if possible, but things WILL change in spite of our best efforts. Sharon" Hello Cynthia and Sharon, Currently the earth is experiencing a great net loss of species. It is a fact all life scientists agree on. If it is the creation of new species we should be seeing as a silver lining then the reduction in species should be alarming us. New species development has a better chance of happening with the larger the diversity of species. Environmental change is more likely to cause loss, and does not create new species. Adaptation is one of the causes of bringing about the evolution of a species. As Guido has already said this takes time. In the past , the two adaptations that have happened the most are: A species get better at an aspect(s) of it survival that allows it to evolve into a new species. A species adapts to a new niche or environment to exploit it like lung fish ancestors developing legs to leave water. This all happens over a great period of time and through many adaptations. I don't think a swift change of environment has ever lead to new species except for viruses, microbes, bacteria and other things who have short life cycle and simple structures. When talking about evolution most scientist are talking in terms of million years and at the least hundred thousands of years. The current great net loss of species is happening in this century and the last century, a hundred years. Change is a constant in the universe, but little of that change actually creates life let alone a new species. If you want to take the view of the whole universe, we have got a good thing going on here, why blow it? Mark Sullivan _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
