Phenotypes and Environmental Acclimation

started

The habitat or environment where an individual or population lives is considered to be one of the strongest influences on breeding, genetic selection, and speciation. The environmental pressures created by heat or cold, dry or wet, and rocky or fine soils all help to determine what characteristics will do best in that environment. For example, in an open environment, running fast could be an important trait for both prey and predator.

Micro-habitats further refine the traits in a population. For example, a mountain habitat would typically have a southern slope which receives more sun than the northern slope. They can also have areas of steep slopes or even vertical walls. Depending on the prevailing wind conditions, one side may be quite moist while the other side is quite dry. Each of these conditions would favor a different characteristic within a plant or animal kind.

Our computer bird kind, seen earlier, is expected to speciate over time such as these six examples here. Each bird would prefer to mate with it's own species, but should be able to mate with any of the other bird species represented here.

Environmental Acclimation

The concept of adaptive radiation is an evolutionary concept in which a species enters a new environment and, through such processes as mutation and natural selection, develops into new species up to and including possessing new forms and features. Therefore, this can include both micro- and macro- evolutionary changes. A term is needed which can express that small changes, such as skin or flower color, can be affected by the environment which does not allow or require the formation of new genetic information. I put forward Environmental Acclimation.

Environmental Acclimation is a selection of traits favorable for a given environment and is the primary cause of natural breeding and speciation. Mating selections are typically based on appearance, the phenotype, which in turn select the genetics behind those traits, the genotype. This is similar to the evolutionary process of natural selection; however it can occur rapidly because already existing traits are favored and no new genetic material must form over time. Because speciation is driven by environmental acclimation, habitats and geographic boundaries will help determine species.

For example, a furry animal that has the genetic variability for long, medium, or short length fur is carried to several different environments and released. Within a hot climate short haired animals will do better. Similarly, in a cold environment long-haired animals will do better. In a wet environment oily-furred animals will do better ( to keep the skin dry). Over time, the genes for a specific fur type are favored and become common while the other gene type(s) will decrease or disappear. During this process, no new genetic information was needed nor was any change in form observed.

Witnessing Rapid Speciation

Often, secular science tries to claim that evolution is true because speciation has been witnessed. Indeed, it has occurred even in our lifetime including such examples as the Hawthorn fly, the three-spined sticklebacks, and cichlid fishes in Lake Nagubago.

However, stating this is evolution is a poor and unjustified claim to make and one that should be capitalized upon by the creation community.

When I place the model of created kinds and the model of evolution on the screen, people are often surprised to see that there is overlap between the models. While they do differ on many things, there are actually a few things in common, and speciation is one of them. Both models expect speciation to occur. Therefore, just because speciation occurs does not prove one concept or the other. Neither the news outlets, nor the scientists should claim evolution has occurred or been witnessed just because speciation has occurred. Instead, one must look for other details such as what causes speciation to give evidence to one or the other. The model of created kinds expects rapid speciation because it deals with already existing genetics while the model of evolution expects new genetic material from mutation and natural selection, a rather slow process.

To state that speciation has been witnessed, seen, or watched means that rapid speciation has occurred. This actually fits the created kinds model much better than the evolution model.

Hibiscus Variation Example

How much change can occur within a kind? Using the Hibiscus Kind as an example, there are changes to:

) color ) overall size ) and even complexity of the petals in ornamentals The major features that distinguish this kind do not change including (but not limited to): ) bisexual, actinomorphic flowers ) sepals united and subtended by bracteoles ) 5 petals fused at the base ) stamen with filaments united into a tube or column ) a pistil with superior position and axile placentation Similar amounts and types of variation can be found in both plants and animals (cat kind, dog kind, etc.) and is to be expected within a kind if it is comparable to the Family level of classification.

This page is under construction. My apologies for any misspellings, repeated text, missing references, etc. Please visit again later for a more complete treatment of this topic.