I realized after I sent my last post that I had made it sound as if I
don't believe my own arguments! I should have clarified the time frames
involved. When I first saw the PBS special **In the Beginning**, I
thought about the rabbits digestive system for some time. I thought
maybe there could be some purpose to a bad digestive system, but couldn't
figure one out. I wrote down the consequences of a bad digestive system
and thought about them. I realized that nutrient rich feces might be
ecologically useful, but it seemed that there couldn't possibly be
enough to make any difference. Then I remembered a Gould essay discussing
the role of earthworms in turning the soil and voila!
In Christ,
robert van de water
associate researcher
UCLA