Well neither do I. I think such an understanding of the story as figurative/ not “precisely true” in the context of Adam and Eve is both apt and relevant.
Yes, plants are distinctly different than animals. What about that fact can you tell me tends to make them NOT an example of how a population can easily change its chromosome number? WHY is it different between animals and plants as far as chromosome number?
My link is easily understandable and explains quite easily how chromosome numbers can change within a population. It is based upon evidence and an actual understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved.
We DO see chromosome differences in individuals - breakages or linkages in chromosomes - they usually don’t manifest with a phenotype at all, unless it is slight infertility.
And there would be reasons for them to disappear once they arose - if their nuber was different than that of the predominant population. Chromosomal segregation during gamete reproduction.
And mixed up chromosomes are NOT key to “transitions”. If you had understood the link he explained it quite simply as being the same information in 46 cabinets or the same information in 48 cabinets. There really wouldn’t usually be a phenotypic difference OTHER than slight infertility with the predominant population.
Reality never intrudes for you, does it? Humans are born with 24 chromosome pairs all the time. They are always sterile. You want hypothesize that two such freaks are going to be born that are not sterile, close enough in time and distance to find each other; and that they would have some competitive advantage over normal humans. It doesn't happen among humans or rats or mice; or fruit-flies despite the efforts of scientists world-wide bombarding the poor insects with radiation and trying to mate the mutants
ML/NJ