Scientists Watch As Wasps Diverge To Become Separate Species

[GMDino]

Evolution usually takes place over millions of years. But every so often, it occurs fast enough for us to watch...


http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/scientists-watch-wasps-diverge-become-separate-species

Quote:We often think of evolution as something which occurs slowly over millions of years, only being recorded in the fossils that are left behind. But evolution is gradual, with species constantly changing in response to a host of different pressures, from alterations in their environment to changes in other species they reply on. This last point, of species evolving and splitting in response to other species evolving and splitting, is a central concept in biodiversity, but is also a difficult one to prove.

A new study has, however, apparently done just this. Researchers from Rice University have documented how as one species of fruit fly is evolving into two separate species that exploit different food, three species of wasp, which parasitize the fruit fly, are also splitting into six new species. This proves how as habitats become more complex, with increasing numbers of species present, it forms a feedback loop that in turn causes yet more species to evolve.



The friut fly Rhagoletis pomonella is diverging into two seperate species, one which lives on apples and another on hawthorn fruit. Andrew Forbes.

“Our study addresses one of the central questions in biology: How do new forms of life originate?” Scott Egan, who co-authored the paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said in a statement. “Our new work takes a close look at the evolutionary process termed ‘sequential speciation.’ Sequential speciation identifies the fact that adaptation and speciation of one species is not an isolated process. The appearance of a new species creates new niche opportunities that can be exploited by other species, and that opportunity can promote the origin of other new species.”

The original species of fruit fly in question, Rhagoletis pomonella, is native to the U.S. and normally lays its eggs on the fruit of the North American hawthorn. But around the 1850s some of the flies instead started to lay their eggs on apples. Due to the differences in fruiting cycles between apples and hawthorn, and the fact that some flies preferred one over the other, populations of fruit flies within the same area became sexually separated, thus leading to divergences and the beginning of two separate species.

Knowing this, the researchers focused on three species of wasp that parasitize the flies by infecting the larvae. Here they found that each individual wasp species was also diverging into two separate species, not just in the way they behaved, but also genetically and in how they were physically adapted to exploit their hosts. These findings, and that the speciation seems to undergo ‘sequential’ events, could help evolutionary biologists understand why insects as a group are so diverse when compared to other groups such as mammals.

[*bfine32*]

Sciency folks are funny.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(10-31-2015, 01:10 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Sciency folks rely on facts and empirical data.

FTFY

[*bfine32*]

(10-31-2015, 01:19 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: FTFY

Then how do they ever come up with new discoveries?

I think you're selling the science community short.

"empirical" for real? Tee Hee.

[GMDino]

(10-31-2015, 01:10 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Sciency folks are funny.

...and open to new things.  And able to change their minds.  And always looking for answers. And...well, you don't care.

[fredtoast]

(10-31-2015, 01:10 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Sciency folks are funny.

Says Bfine as he tries to start a fire with a rock the way God intended it to be done.

Science is so stupid.

[*bfine32*]

(10-31-2015, 11:53 AM)GMDino Wrote: ...and open to new things.  And able to change their minds.  And always looking for answers. And...well, you don't care.

Look one post above yours.

[GMDino]

(10-31-2015, 01:10 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Look one post above yours.

For more evidence that you don't understand or care about science?

(10-31-2015, 01:22 AM)bfine32 Wrote: Then how do they ever come up with new discoveries?

I think you're selling the science community short.

"empirical" for real? Tee Hee.

Oh, I forgot...you don't understand evidence either.

[*bfine32*]

Hey, every comment is about me. Who woulda guessed.

[fredtoast]

(10-31-2015, 01:47 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Hey, every comment is about me. Who woulda guessed.

Maybe the attention ***** who posted the comment to draw all the attention to himself.


I mean, seriously, i can understand how some people might claim that some scientific studies are biased, but people who believe this need to attack the specific studies.  Only someone desperate for attention would make a general insult toward science.  A comment like that is nothing but troll bait.


Do you really want to have a serious discussion about how science is stupid?

[GMDino]

(10-31-2015, 01:47 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Hey, every comment is about me. Who woulda guessed.

Well you add nothing interesting to the threads so we might as well talk about the one thing you might know something about.

[StLucieBengal]

Where did bfine say he didn't care about science?

Oh right .... he didn't

[*bfine32*]

(10-31-2015, 01:51 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Maybe the attention ***** who posted the comment to draw all the attention to himself.


I mean, seriously, i can understand how some people might claim that some scientific studies are biased, but people who believe this need to attack the specific studies.  Only someone desperate for attention would make a general insult toward science.  A comment like that is nothing but troll bait.


Do you really want to have a serious discussion about how science is stupid?

I have never said Science is stupid. That's just something folks have made up in their heads.

Sciency folks are funny. So are many bible thumping evangelists. Does this mean I think Religion is stupid?

[*bfine32*]

(10-31-2015, 01:54 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: Where did bfine say he didn't care about science?  

Oh right .... he didn't

It doesn't matter. Folks can more easily assert that you are ignorant if you say what they suggest you say.

Sciency folks are funny. Anybody ever talked to a sciency person? They are are just "off-center"; highly intelligent however.

[fredtoast]

(10-31-2015, 01:56 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I have never said Science is stupid. That's just something folks have made up in their heads.

Sciency folks are funny. 

What is so funny about them?  

You need to explain yourself a little better when you make these obscure comments.  I know that would not quite get you as much attention as you want, but it would help the rest of us have a serious discussion on the topic.

[*bfine32*]

(10-31-2015, 01:59 PM)fredtoast Wrote: What is so funny about them?  

You need to explain yourself a little better when you make these obscure comments.  I know that would not quite get you as much attention as you want, but it would help the rest of us have a serious discussion on the topic.

Look just one post up from your. My apologies for making folks focus on me.

[GMDino]

And we're already off topic because of Larry. Good work!

Now we don't have to discuss evolution and how its true and real!

[fredtoast]

(10-31-2015, 01:59 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Sciency folks are funny. Anybody ever talked to a sciency person? They are are just "off-center"; highly intelligent however.

I don't think you have talked to any "sciency" people, because I don't see anything funny at all about this study of wasps and flies.  where is the funny part that I am missing?

BTW how exactly do you define a "sciency" person?  Is everyone who agrees with the scientific method a "sciency" person?  Who exactly is NOT a "sciency" person.

[fredtoast]

(10-31-2015, 02:00 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Look just one post up from your. 

I don't see anything funny at all in that post.

What exactly am I missing?

[*bfine32*]

(10-31-2015, 02:01 PM)GMDino Wrote: And we're already off topic because of Larry.  Good work!

Now we don't have to discuss evolution and how its true and real!

Yes, anyone that can read can clearly see that I chose not to focus on the OP, but rather focus on a poster. Once again, my apologies for forcing you folks to focus on me.