Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: MikeJ
If I find an example of a plant, repeatedly crossbred by humans, that can no longer crossbreed with one of its ancestral species, will you agree that this represents a new species of plant?

If it occurs in natural populations, breeds true from generation to generation, and doesn't (can't) interbreed with other subspecies of the same original population. That is basically what a specie is.

93 posted on 04/23/2004 1:40:31 PM PDT by templar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies ]


To: templar
If it occurs in natural populations, breeds true from generation to generation, and doesn't (can't) interbreed with other subspecies of the same original population.

That's quite different. If A is crossbred to produce B, and B is crossbred to produce C, even if A and C cannot interbreed you won't accept C as a new species, because A and C can both interbreed with B.

Obviously, if I point out any man-made line of crossbreeding steps, each plant at each step can interbreed with those near it, so no example would ever qualify. And any naturally occuring line is invalid because you will accept no proof that any plant, such as coffea arabica, was actually derived from the source that I claim.

You realise that by this definition, you would consider A and C to be the same species, even if they can't interbreed! I suppose that makes as much sence as saying bison and cows are the same species...

We'll have to just let it go at this point. I have no idea what I could possibly offer you.

95 posted on 04/23/2004 3:25:57 PM PDT by MikeJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson