re: Rates of Evolution

[andrew kelman <akelman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Maybe what Resnick, et al are describing is ecophenotypic variation. I
think this means that the ability to shift between morphotypes within the 
species is already established, and can quickly re-occur in a population 
in response to an environmental shift. This could be tested: if the 
process was reversible this should indicate ecophenotypic variation. 
Alternatively, determinating how long before the new population will not, 
or cannot, interbreed with the origional population (and it may not be 
too long if this is true evolution) may be be a useful measure for 
identifying species separation.

Andrew Kelman
at
Australian Geological Survey Organization