RE: A reaction to ID

> Wouldn't the "rapid explosion of speciation" have slowed dramatically to its
> current pace after the earth was repopulated and all the niches filled?

Variable environmental conditions tend to keep niches changing, preventing their continuous filling. Also, the many human-caused extinctions generally leave vacant niches (if the extinction was not caused by total loss of habitat nor by replacement by an invasive species). Thus, all the niches are not full.

Speciation rates would be expected to slow after rapid radiation; however, geologic evidence suggests that the time for this to happen is closer to millions of years or more, rather than a thousand or so. The required speeding up is multiple orders of magnitude.

With a 6000 year timescale, and the need to accomodate all of human history that includes evidence of multiple species within an ICR-approved kind (e.g., both lions and cats) after the rapid explosion, there is negligible time for this radiation.

    Dr. David Campbell
    Old Seashells
    University of Alabama
    Biodiversity & Systematics
    Dept. Biological Sciences
    Box 870345
    Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0345 USA
    bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com

That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at Droitgate Spa
Received on Thu Mar 3 19:25:35 2005