differences in mutation rates

John Connellan said:
No. Mutation does not completely explain evolution rates.
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Well...the thing is that most people use as definitin of evolution something like:
'In biological terms, a change in the genetic composition of a population over time.'

If genetic change is all there is to evolution than mutation rate is all you need to explain evolution.

Mind you...I'm on your side here. I'm now playing the devil's advocate.
 
John Connellan said:
But natural selection causes change in the composition!
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Not if we assume that there are no differences in the ratio of functional important regions between genomes of different species.
 
Yes. They are only not the same species when genetic mutations occur, such that one population cannot breed with another. This only really happens when they are seperated for some time.
 
I will disagree here then and see it is not necessary.

If the genetic composition changes the nature of the species can change enough to call it a different species (but not necessarily so). Instead of budding of species we would have then a transformation of a species.
 
spuriousmonkey said:
I will disagree here then and see it is not necessary.

If the genetic composition changes the nature of the species can change enough to call it a different species (but not necessarily so). Instead of budding of species we would have then a transformation of a species.
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Genetic composition of a single species is changing all the time. This doesn't mean that the name of the species must change. If it did then there would be no such thing as species!
 
John Connellan said:
Genetic composition of a single species is changing all the time. This doesn't mean that the name of the species must change. If it did then there would be no such thing as species!
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Yes, but what I am trying to point out that sometimes this change does warrant a new classification as species. Although in real life there is never really a clear transition point since evolution is never linear, but rather bushy.
 
Absolutely. I agree. My example just focused on the majority of cases where genetic change occurs within a population without creating a new species. Just clearing that up :)
 
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