Temperature Constancy Appears Key to Tropical Biodiversity

ScienceDaily ^ | 7/22/10

[LibWhacker]

ScienceDaily (July 22, 2010) — The tropics owe their stunning biodiversity to consistent year-round temperatures, not higher temperatures or more sunlight, according to a novel survey of insect diversity at different latitudes and at different points in the planet's history.

The finding, presented this week in the journal Paleobiology by researchers from Harvard University, Simon Fraser University, and Brandon University, may finally answer a question that has dogged scientists for centuries.

It also suggests, intriguingly, that the world is likely far less diverse today than it was tens of millions of years ago, when the entire Earth had consistent year-round temperatures, much like the modern tropics.

[mamelukesabre]

This appears to me to be a potential threat to the theory of evolution.

[screaminsunshine]

Wonder how they got the grant for this fiasco?

[LibWhacker]

Hmm... I can’t see it. Please explain. Doesn’t evolution work just as well at tropical latitudes as at temperate latitudes? Not questioning your knowledge, just trying to understand.

[mamelukesabre]

Diversity is, at best, holding steady in the tropics and dying a slow death everywhere else. Evolution is the idea that living DNA re organizes itself into better and better designs. There appears to be a conflict. We are witnessing a “winding down” of diversity as if DNA’s ability to re-invent itself is played out, or getting there real soon. I don’t see how both evolution and this “winding down” phenomenon can be true.

[LibWhacker]

Okay, got it. Thanks. It's as if they are saying that you will get tremendous diversity if temps hold steady near 90 degrees and you'll get tremendous diversity if temps hold steady near 45 degrees, but what the vast majority of possible life forms cannot do is deal with widely fluctuating temperatures. DNA has limited options for designing such critters, but has lots and lots of options when temperatures are constant.

Wish I lived 5,000 years from now. I'd love to see what kind of life forms they'll be finding in space in those days.

[mamelukesabre]

but has lots and lots of options when temperatures are constant.
~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m not buying it. If that was true, then we wouldn’t be seeing extinctions outpacing new evolution in the tropics. I’m saying there appears to be a wearing out or winding down effect happening. Wearing out and winding down are characteristics of a constructed device, not evolution.

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks LibWhacker. The tropics owe their stunning biodiversity to consistent year-round temperatures, not higher temperatures or more sunlight, according to a novel survey of insect diversity at different latitudes and at different points in the planet's history. Strange idea, coming as it does behind all the people from the snow belt who have seen palm beetles waiting by the slider at the relatives' house in Florida, or anyone who has stayed in Hawaii but *not* in the big resorts. This one gets the "Captain Obvious" award for this week. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[colorado tanker]

Your welcome, now where do I get my grant check?

[colorado tanker]

Your're welcome, now where do I get my grant check?

[colorado tanker]

You're welcome, now where do I get my grant check?

[Ole Okie]

You're welcome, now where do I get my grant check?

You gotta post it at least six times to have any effect on atmospheric carbon dioxide, hence AGW grant.

[colorado tanker]

LOL!

I even gave a donation, but I've still found FR slow and difficult for a while now. Sorry about the multiple posts.

[Steve Van Doorn]

In 5,000 years earth will definitely return to glaciation.

Not sure life will be that good...

[Steve Van Doorn]

Interesting point.
When glaciation returns farm lands will not be able to sustain the population we have without massive man made changes to our landscape.

And since we are in the middle of the ice age it will be the some of the coldest times in Earths history which gives a real risk for another snow ball earth.

If that fear does take place other planets would look pretty good.
Star trek here we come :)