2 ms·

Um, I distinctly remember reading about insects evolving to adapt to changes brought about by humanity in one generation and just quickly did a search and found

• searine 9y ago
  >Um, I distinctly remember reading about insects evolving to adapt to changes brought about by humanity in one generation Literally impossible. Mutations can't magically move to high frequency in one generation. The article you said this 'Plant populations began to diverge significantly in response to insect attack in as few as three to four generations'. Not one. Yes intense single mode-of-action selection can change allele frequencies in a short period of time, but that is much different than adapting to novel challenges. The types of adaptations you are talking about are likely what we call "standing variation". Dormant mutations at intermediate frequency that become fit during intermittent circumstances. Like a stressful year, or a certain predator that comes every decade. In the case of chemicals however, we are dealing with an entirely novel mechanism, with little to no standing variation to draw upon. Thus evolution in this circumstance is slow.