UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO PORTAL
RSS & Widgets
Shutter Speed
The shutterspeed determines how long the sensor is exposed to light and is expressed is fractions of a second (while long expsoures are expressed in seconds). Shutter speeds are ex... More.
Solmar V, Socorro IslandsCome feel the adrenaline and dive the Socorro Islands, the Sea of Cortez or Guadalupe on our 112’ luxury live-aboard dive vessel based in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico since 1992.
Aug 26
Emperor Penguins, Feces, Satellite, Mapping, Swimming With Minke Whales, Fujifilm FinePix IS-1, fujifilm IR Sensitive, Aquatica, D300, Nikon, egypt, whale in dessert, Heat Tolerant, Coral, Reefs, Palumbi, Stanford, coral cay conservation, red sea survey, egypt marine conservation, marsa alam resort, great white, guadalupe, isla guadalupe, cage diving, apex predator, shark diving, pacific coast, Talking Fish, fish Sounds Discovered, fish vocabulary, lemon shark, gills, womb, development
What Makes A Species A Species
I read an argument today by economist Julian Simon who was countering many of the current reports on the "extinction crisis" many conservation biologists are predicting. Among his arguments was that there is no absolute definition of a species, so how can we species are declining. This at first seemed like a valid point, before I read E.O. Wilson's article on defining species, in which he gives a really interesting argument. Wilson argues that we can't define what a species is but we can define a species as two animals that can breed together through natural cause for most species, most of the time.
Wilson goes on to very convincingly describe why this definition works and counters Simon's argument indirectly and quite nicely. What struck me, however, is that there really isn't an umbrella definition that accurately describes a species for all living organisms. That’s how intricate and diverse the living world is. I have said it before, and I'll say it again - "Mother Nature's non fiction story of the life on this planet is more unbelievable, mystifying and awe inspiring than any fiction story.
Wilson goes on to very convincingly describe why this definition works and counters Simon's argument indirectly and quite nicely. What struck me, however, is that there really isn't an umbrella definition that accurately describes a species for all living organisms. That’s how intricate and diverse the living world is. I have said it before, and I'll say it again - "Mother Nature's non fiction story of the life on this planet is more unbelievable, mystifying and awe inspiring than any fiction story.
Be the first to add a comment to this news item.
You must be logged in to comment.
