Melanism

[Jeffrey A. Caldwell]

I don't think increasing melanism proves "evolution" at high speed.   Anyone
who breeds plants or animals knows that through selection one can within a
very few generations express a wide range of possibilities in an organism,
but that does not equate with developing "new" genetic material that is
actually becoming a diffferent kind of  organism.   We are merely seeing the
expression of useful capabilities that are already there, not the
development of something truly new -- a change in the temper of an existing
gene field, as it were, not the development of  a  new one.

Many organisms have great adaptability and can be expressed in a wide
variety of various forms and colors -- like people.   Red, yellow, black or
white -- pygmies or giants -- we're all human, all related and not rapidly
changing into some other form of organism, though there be great variety in
our species.

Because of  the plasticity inherent in the genes of living things, and the
rapidity that selection brings out desirable traits, I think that in cases
where a desired organism has become extinct importing its closest relative
as a replacement can be  worthwhile.   I seem to remember reading about a
British butterfly tended by ants that became extinct, and a close relative
from elsewhere was imported to take its place and its progeny quickly began
to look more like the extinct form....does anybody know  about that case?

MKJ wrote:

> Hi!
> Melanism in leps tells to observer the change in the environement.
> But is there any other method to study the pollution in the air.
> Air filter systems or so on.
> Melanism is obvious  prove how the genes and evolution is working and in
> high speed.
>
> What you think about this.
>
> Matti
>
>