VINCENT@buclln11.bitnet ("Vincent Bauchau - Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium") (05/10/89)
Sam Scheiner wrote: > In looking over the definition of population biology placed > on the bulletin board on Tues, Apr. 18, I raise the > following question: How is the long and complex definition > given any different from "Population biology is the study > of the processes of natural selection and microevolution"? I think that this definition is too narrow. There are population biologists that are not studying natural selection or microevolution. In my view biogeography, population dynamics, epidemiology, and so on are part of Population Biology although they are not necessarily related to evolution. Now I agree that the Theory of Evolution certainly is at the central place of Population Biology. - Vincent Bauchau, Dept Biology, Univ. Louvain-la-Neuve.
LYNCH89@irlearn.bitnet (John Lynch) (05/10/89)
Sam's definition seems, to me at least, to be right on target. Everything
studied in biology has to, at least at some point, refer to natural
selections and evolution; as Dobzansky said 'nothing in biology makes sense
without evolution'. Sam's definition, while not explicit about the subject
matter covers the required ground, as it were by using a thick paintbrush
rether than a thin one :)
John