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Sean Faircloth:
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Evolution does not work like that. Within a species there are lots of genes in the species gene pool, which are not all within any particular individual. You only have to look at humans, dogs, cats etc to know that individuals vary in colour, size, proportions etc, so where an environment acts to select for a particular feature, - such as resistance to sunburn, in habitats like Africa. those with naturally resistant black skin, have as a result of millennia of evolution, come to dominate.
Once there are no longer individuals containing those genes in the population, the species can no longer adapt to those conditions without taking thousands or millions of years to re-evolve them by mutations, - or possibly cross breeding with a related species which retains those genes. However, hybrid offspring are usually sterile, so this rarely works.
The breeding of closely related individuals, such as brothers and sisters, resulting from this situation, greatly increases the chances of harmful, damaged genes pairing up and creating genetic diseases and deformities.
Permalink Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:33:41 UTC | #873455