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> “The more I learn, the more amazing I find them,” said Theunis Piersma, a professor of global flyway ecology. “They are a total evolutionary success.” Amazin
by robotresearcher 4y ago
> “The more I learn, the more amazing I find them,” said Theunis Piersma, a professor of global flyway ecology. “They are a total evolutionary success.”
Amazing animals indeed, but the latter is a strangely unscientific thing for any kind of biologist to be quoted saying.
I wonder if this is one of those journo-quotes:
Journo: "Would you say these birds are a total evolutionary success?"
Biologist: "Well, I wouldn't put it like that, but yes, they show an incredible adaptation ... <etc>"
Journo: "Got it. Total evolutionary success."
- jononomo 4y agoYeah, the idea that they are a total evolutionary success only makes sense if you start by assuming that they must be a total evolutionary success. It makes just as much sense to say they are a brilliant example of intelligent design.
- robotresearcher 4y agoThe concept of 'total evolutionary success' doesn't really make any sense. The species is not extinct, but so is every other extant species. Maybe gene frequency is your success measure? There aren't many of this species around. Some of its genes are found in all birds, so those are pretty successful, but small beans compared to ant or algae genes. All these things probably have some respiration or protein synthesis genes in common. Maybe the success is with respect to their ecological niche? They fly really far! But everything lives in its own niche, and is the same amount of alive in it.... Evolved things are not more or less successful, they just are.
- jononomo 4y agoWell, I know of a lot of people who are only partial evolutionary successes.