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Originally posted by amantine
organisms can somewhat affect the mutation rate. Mutations are changes in the DNA. DNA repair mechanisms can undo those changes in some cases. Better DNA repair mechanisms can lower the rate of mutation.
Originally posted by EnronOutrunHomerun
This is an idea somewhere along the line of "punctuated equilibrium"
Originally posted by Nygdan
I think you are misunderstanding gould's idea. Bascially, gould and elderigde were looking at the extant fossil record, and considering mayrs idea (ok, it might not intially have been his idea, I don't know) that species arise in an allopatric mode, with smaller perhipheral populations (being isolated and thus very susecptible to genetic drift, founders effect, and the like) budding off, speciating, and then expanding their formerly small range. Gould and Eldridge figured that when this process is applied to the fossil record, (ie put into the context of inimaginably long geological time) that the resulting pattern is one where new species (although, there is much more detail on what is meant by species in this context) arise 'quickly' (geologically speaking) and replace their parental population.
Originally posted by Nygdan
Are you saying that the organisms themselves alter their mutation rate, in the same way that they alter their breathing rate as they fall asleep? I mean, mutation rates change, and even overall mutation rates can be changed by changes in the organism (as in having a slightly less perfect enzyme copying the dna), but would you really say that this is something the organism 'does'? I don't look at it in that way at any rate, tho I can see why you might say it. The organism 'breaks down proteins' during digestion and the like, even tho its a particular set of enzymes doing it.
But either way you're certainly not saying its behavioural no?
Originally posted by spacedoubt
If an organism is Stressed, for one reason or another.
Could there be an enzyme, or hormone, that cranks up the mutation rate.
Originally posted by spacedoubt
What about Cockroaches, that seem to adjust to pesticides?
There are also some fishes that change sex