Hi lyx2no2, how are you doing these days?
Well, my stupid, theivin', pot smoking cousin is destroying his family and I keep getting dragged off to Baltimore in my mum's vain attempt to help her sister survive the situation. I've never missed a day of school in my life until now, and now I'm missing so many I won't likely be getting the top grades I've always been brought up to understand are the most important thing I can do for the future. I was thinking that for my upcoming birthday a smallish comet could take out Baltimore; however, upon reflection, in my new-found maturity, I've come to believe that that may be a tad self-centered. Or maybe it's some of your strength rubbing off on me, thanks. And though I don't have a god to beseech or belief that blessings have any magic value, bless you.
One can also compare the variation within a population to show that they could seesaw back and forth as one grew and then another shrank. These minor variations would be seen at the population\species level, while the overall trend is visible in the tree of descent.
That is basically how I see it: little mutations happening here and there throughout the population. None of them having much of an effect. This one changing the timing of this; that one changing the timing of that. The mixing and matching widening the bell curve of some parameter or another; i.e., instead of budgies weighing between 22.254 grams and 37.886 grams, now they weight between 21.969 grams and 38.112 grams. Then in one part of their territory a new, predator lizard makes the scene and likes wee budgies better then hefty ones; while in another part of their territory there's a prolonged drought where only the wee budgies can find enough to eat. And blah, blah, blah No need for coordinated genetic mutations. A random lot of mutations with selection of the ones that suit the situation best will do.
And I took care of that picture thingy too.
Edited by lyx2no, : Typo.
Edited by lyx2no, : My poor education catching up with me.
It's not the man that knows the most that has the most to say.
Anon