What Makes A Species A Species
By Matt J. Weiss, November 19, 2008 @ 02:00 AM (EST)
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.
Comments
Be the first to add a comment to this article.
You must be logged in to comment.
Related Content
December 8, 2009, 9:49AM
Former Chicago Bulls center Luc Longley wins auction for the right to name a new shrimp species. more
September 28, 2009, 4:20PM
The federal government is considering taking the humpback whale off the endangered species list in response to data showing the more
September 21, 2009, 12:57PM
When a whale dies, it sinks to the seafloor and becomes food for an entire ecosystem. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, more
August 29, 2009, 8:56PM
A species of crustacean with no eyes and venom-injecting fangs has been discovered in an underwater volcanic cave in the Canary more
June 15, 2009, 1:02AM
The Esopus Creek, a legendary Catskill Mountain fly fishing stream that is an integral part of New York City’s vast upstate more
Sponsors
What's New
