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Behavior May Influence Evolution

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the understanding-how-we-are dept.

eldavojohn writes "Pending your beliefs about evolution, National Geographic is running an interesting article on the influences of behavior on evolution. The study supports the controversial idea that an animal's behavior in response to environmental change can spur evolutionary adaptations. By adding a predator to an island where a species of lizards lived with no predators, they witnessed a quick shift in the average length of legs on the lizards. Long legs meant to escape were useless against the new larger predators while short legs became the dominant feature since they increased climbing ability (to trees the predators could not reach). For the finer details on the research, visit the Losos Lab Research Page."

4 of 262 comments (clear)

  1. Will we adapt? by MECC · · Score: 5, Funny

    The study also supports a somewhat controversial idea in biology: Animals' behavior in response to environmental change can spur evolutionary adaptations.

    Could that imply that the behaviour of disbelieving scientific facts could spur a reduction in brain size in order to adapt to reduced intelligence?

    --
    "We are all geniuses when we dream"
    - E.M. Cioran
  2. And in other news... by Daniel_Staal · · Score: 5, Funny

    When the environment changes, some animals are better adapted to the new change than others. Details at 11.

    --
    'Sensible' is a curse word.
  3. Re:Why is this controversial? by Hognoxious · · Score: 3, Funny
    this is still an unnatural occurrence, and could be seen as disruption of the ecosystem of the islands.
    Easily solved. Just introduce an animal that eats the new predator lizard overlords.
    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  4. Re:Why is this controversial? by Tim+Browse · · Score: 4, Funny

    Think about it

    You must be new here.