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Nothing in Evolution makes sense except in the light of Biology - Coggle…
Nothing in Evolution makes sense except in the light of Biology
Citation: Bolnick et al. 2021. Nothing in evolution makes sense except in the light of biology. Bioscience. 71(4).370-382.
Big Questions
Does evolution have a discernible pattern?
If so, what impacts will uncovering the pattern have on human health and agriculture?
Can any model made using a conclusion based on paternistic evolution be reliable?
How far into the future will a model be able to predict?
Prediction in Evolution
The word prediction within the context of the article focuses on how predictable patterns in one species can be superimposed onto another species
The authors are very conscientious of how they use the term prediction when it relates to biology. Due to the number of levels biologically that can be impacted by evolution they reiterate that their investigations would be limited to holistic views
For instance, no predictions would be made about how a specific gene would respond to natural selection
But a prediction could be made about how an organism will respond to a specific environmental pressure
For instance, the physiologically differences that occur when a wateflea is born in an environment with predators versus' without predators.
Phenotypic plasticity poses a significant problem when attempting to devise any reliable model. Incalculable changes can occur on existing and mutated genotypes. These changes are not recognized as evolution
The authors recognize that 100% predictability for every evolutionary outcome is most likely impossible
They believe the lack of information is the only hinderance to the creation of effective models
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The Unpredictability of Evolution
Due to the randomization of mutation with a genome it's virtually impossible to predict when and how the mutation will occur which makes predicting the outcome equally as variable
The process of meiosis further complicates the survival of even the most beneficial alleles
They harp on the randomness of heritability but the potential for genetic drift and the limitations of predictable reproductive success
There are many outcomes that are not 1:1 equivalents which makes predictive outcomes even harder to generalize
For instance, two species of spiders that use the same poison to subdue prey may have different genetic properties that produce the poison
The earth's environment is also inherently unpredictable, so accounting for not just the randomness of a population and of the randomness of an environment will produce too many variables for any conclusive equation to be created
The only predictions that can be made related to biology are the ones most fundamental to the discipline
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Generalizations that need to be made for the author's potential models to be true.
Ecosystems need to have a traditional structure with consumers, producers, and predators
In a population that is large all possible mutations will occur eventually
The combination and incorporation of multiple theories and statistics to outline any models
The mean fitness in a population will increase for any population that survives over an extended period of time
Links must be made between genomic characteristics and fitness