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Posted by Pierre on October 02, 1999 at 19:53:30:
In Reply to: scale of selection posted by Mark Ungrin on September 30, 1999 at 20:43:55:
I fully agree with your arguments.
My post was not to exclude selection between ecosystems, etc. It was to stress
that competition between ecosystems is able to design ecosystems but NOT
animals or plants within it. Animals and plants are designed by selection at
their own level.
For example, when a vulture becomes more efficient in scavenging, it is not as
a result of selection between ecosystems for a better cleanliness, balance and
food recycling in the ecosystem ! It is the result of a selective advantage
defined at the vulture level : better access to resources.
The selected unit and the selected advantages have to be defined at the same
level.
The problem is that we consider that cell functions are selected by competition
between organisms, same with gene pools designed by selection between
organisms. If we consider only selection between organisms, this is OK for
organisms but not for cells or genes.
For example, when a vulture becomes more efficient in its activity, thisis not as a result of selection between ecosystems for a better cleanliness, balance and food recycling in the ecosystem ! It is the result of a selective advantage defined at the vulture level : better access to resources.