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Author Topic:   Definition of Species
Doddy
Member (Idle past 5900 days)
Posts: 563
From: Brisbane, Australia
Joined: 01-04-2007


Message 3 of 450 (420897)
09-10-2007 5:07 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by RAZD
09-09-2007 5:26 PM


Why is the definition of species important and what is the use for the definition of species?
I don't think it is important. It will always drawing an arbitrary line on a gradual process, and I don't think it even matters.
Speciation is is the dividing line between what are considered microevolutionary and macroevolutionary processes
Micro and macro evolution, being defined as speciation and morphological changes, are dependant on species as a unit (at least in biology, rather than creation science). But species aren't units, and so dividing micro from macro is just as problematic and useless as diving species from each other. It just leads to the question of 'why is macroevolution an important term?'.
In conclusion, a one-size fits all method of determining species will always cause problems. It's subjective, and thus useless outside of the obviously distinct species.
That's my opinion anyway.

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This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by RAZD, posted 09-09-2007 5:26 PM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 4 by RAZD, posted 09-10-2007 8:42 AM Doddy has replied

  
Doddy
Member (Idle past 5900 days)
Posts: 563
From: Brisbane, Australia
Joined: 01-04-2007


Message 7 of 450 (421024)
09-10-2007 7:26 PM
Reply to: Message 4 by RAZD
09-10-2007 8:42 AM


RAZD writes:
It's two aspects of the same issue. But speciation - the division of one species into two or more species - is what accounts for the diversity in types of organisms
Branching is what accounts for the structure of the tree, but it is completely useless to try to distinguish the exact line between a bough, a branch and a twig. You don't really need to know what the precise definition of a twig is to study how they form.
RAZD writes:
having a usable definition of species lets you determine when speciation has occurred, and then you can study how long it takes and what the specific mechanisms are.
So, we need to have a definition for species to study how species form. Well, that just brings me to the questions of: why do we want to know exactly when speciation has occured? We don't really need to know that to understand the processes involved.

Help to inform the public - contribute to the EvoWiki today!
What do you mean "You can't prove a negative"? Have you searched the whole universe for proofs of a negative statement? No? How do you know that they don't exist then?!

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by RAZD, posted 09-10-2007 8:42 AM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 8 by RAZD, posted 09-10-2007 9:26 PM Doddy has not replied

  
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