Ben Stein to take on Darwinism on April 18

[rocketpig]

libellule said:

@rocketpig,  

"I suppose it could happen in a larger population but from what I learned, it almost always happens in a smaller population. The problem I see with a larger population is that it would be impossible to split into separate species with such a large gene pool crossing over."

==> if u need group then u have to separate spacially the individual whatever ur group is big or not..  

 "Apply it to dogs... Purebreds often have degenerate conditions, skin problems, etc. because the gene pool is so small that recessive traits become widespread with inbreeding. "

==> so little group are bad because of consanguinity OK

"Compare that to a mutt, where almost all recessive genes are neutralized by mating with another breed that has dominant genes to maintain the survivability of the animal."

==> OK

"Reverse that and I think you'll see what I'm talking about. "

==> so little group increase the probability to have "homozygote fully expressing" individu compared to large group that may hide the mutation because of the heterozygot state as I said in my last post.
Then we agree. 

"BTW, what I have been saying mostly applies to the creation of a new species, not a single trait that helps a species better adapt to its environment (longer teeth, more functional appendages, etc.). That can happen over time in a larger population, though even then a smaller population is better suited to allow it to spread quickly and become dominant."

 ==> OK, thx for the help.

I'll just tackle the bolded part... The point I'm making is not that small gene pools are bad, it's that change more easily happens in smaller gene pools. After all, that's all evolution is... Change. Sometimes it can be good, most of the time it is bad. The bad dies off over time, the good flourishes. Expand the gene pool and the traits from inbreeding will disappear or diminish as dominant genes control recessive traits.

Realize that most of the time, evolution fails miserably. It is in the rare occasion that it actually works, which is why actually seeing it happen is like catching lightning in a bottle.