Re: Herbivore protection

[Scendan@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-06-03 07:33:22 EDT, Wabandco@AOL.COM writes:

<< 
 John Bois suggests "...clutch size exists to increase Darwinian fitness, not
 to satiate predators...predator satiation needs justification before it can
 be claimed for adaptive value for colonial hadrosaur nests."  I can't help
 but note that we mustn't think of Darwinian selection or any other version
of
 evolutionary selection in terms that imply sentience; predator satiation
 would be an effect of increased clutch size, and increased clutch size would
 thus be Darwinianly fit (flame away, I've got it coming on that one...;-)
 because those who reproduce in large clutches are more likely to have
 surviving offspring... ie, we have the traditional "hadrosaur or the egg"
 issue re: which came first...(pun fully intended... flame again!) >>

Hey Wayne!  Thanks for the clarification.  The "evolution as master plan"
syndrome is such an easy one to fall into and sometimes so hard to spot out.
 I think we all are probably guilty of it.  (I can't help but think of Ian
Malcolm's line in the original JP, "Dinosaurs had their shot and nature
SELECTED them for extinction."  Please don't flame me for another gratuitous
movie reference, but I think the comment does point up how pervasive this
attitude is in our society.)  I know I have done it myself A LOT!!!!  :)  :)
Great thread, by the way!  Everybody has had such valuable suggestions.