|
I'm probably over my head in this, but I think we
all aare making serious mistakewhen refering to a mutation. As Gould has pointed
out several times there is a large gene pool in any species. So if there is a
useful gene (alle?) in this pool there should be
many copies there. This could be true even if there is no good reason for it at
some time. As long as it is not hazardous the gene will spread out threw the
species pool. So if this gene becomes useful there will be many copies in the
gene pool to introduce this newfound usefulness.
On the other hand if the only introdunction is a
mututation then it is highly unlikely that the gene pool will expand to any
useful degree for some time. There could be only one guy in a pool of hundred
thousand individuals. The mutation would hardly be of any immediate
use.
thanks for listening
paul sparks
|