zerogee
While paleontology is not my area of expertise I was involved in a discussion recently on this subject.
The size of the island and therefore the total amount of available of food sources. VS Smaller gene pool and recessive genes producing dwarfism. To be honest neither made sense to me. If this was a single incident the smaller gene pool and inbreeding being the cause seems like a possible reason for it to happen once. The results of inbreeding can vary greatly and beneficial results can occur, but that is an exception not the rule. Weaker animals more prone to disease and other physical problems is the norm. This has occurred on several separate locations with different species with similar results. The chance that dwarfs occur with out other negative attributes associated with inbreeding in multiple scenarios is Uhmmm
unlikely.
Smaller available food sources makes even less sense. A mental image of an emaciated breeding population comes to mind. Fighting for new growth of vegetation while giving birth to emaciated young until evolution is kind enough to reduce their size is not plausible.
On the main land these animals roam vast areas sharing known water sources but randomly foraging where ever the best food sources are at the time. feeding at the exact same places over and over does not occur very often. When cut off from vast feeding areas and confined to a smaller feeding range they develop a route that is followed over and over. consuming food then moving on allowing enough time for new growth to occur then it is consumed the cycle repeats itself.
This is the key and its not that they are eating the same food all the time its that they eat the same food that has been fertilized time and time again from their own urine and dung. along with territorial marking this contributes to the consumption of ever increasing doses of hormones and pheromones provided from plants being enriched by their waste products.
In the insect world pheromones have many purposes one of which is keeping secondary reproductive
members of the cast from growing in to fully functioning adults. Its not until they are removed from its influence will they grow into what their genetic code intended.
In the confines of aquariums fish that have the ability to grow much larger in the wild a lot of the time do not reach full size or even become malformed. I have heard uniformed sales people tell their customers the fish will only grow to the size of the tank they are in. This is simply not true if water changes are regularly preformed the hormones that inhibit the growth that are secreted by the fish themselves are diluted and the fish will continue to grow. Fish farms that breed many varieties of fish for food purposes must change massive amounts of water for this very same reason.
I am sure soil samples will show elevated levels of these chemicals if areas where conditions are conducive to their preservation can be located.
By all means don
The size of the island and therefore the total amount of available of food sources. VS Smaller gene pool and recessive genes producing dwarfism. To be honest neither made sense to me. If this was a single incident the smaller gene pool and inbreeding being the cause seems like a possible reason for it to happen once. The results of inbreeding can vary greatly and beneficial results can occur, but that is an exception not the rule. Weaker animals more prone to disease and other physical problems is the norm. This has occurred on several separate locations with different species with similar results. The chance that dwarfs occur with out other negative attributes associated with inbreeding in multiple scenarios is Uhmmm
unlikely.
Smaller available food sources makes even less sense. A mental image of an emaciated breeding population comes to mind. Fighting for new growth of vegetation while giving birth to emaciated young until evolution is kind enough to reduce their size is not plausible.
On the main land these animals roam vast areas sharing known water sources but randomly foraging where ever the best food sources are at the time. feeding at the exact same places over and over does not occur very often. When cut off from vast feeding areas and confined to a smaller feeding range they develop a route that is followed over and over. consuming food then moving on allowing enough time for new growth to occur then it is consumed the cycle repeats itself.
This is the key and its not that they are eating the same food all the time its that they eat the same food that has been fertilized time and time again from their own urine and dung. along with territorial marking this contributes to the consumption of ever increasing doses of hormones and pheromones provided from plants being enriched by their waste products.
In the insect world pheromones have many purposes one of which is keeping secondary reproductive
members of the cast from growing in to fully functioning adults. Its not until they are removed from its influence will they grow into what their genetic code intended.
In the confines of aquariums fish that have the ability to grow much larger in the wild a lot of the time do not reach full size or even become malformed. I have heard uniformed sales people tell their customers the fish will only grow to the size of the tank they are in. This is simply not true if water changes are regularly preformed the hormones that inhibit the growth that are secreted by the fish themselves are diluted and the fish will continue to grow. Fish farms that breed many varieties of fish for food purposes must change massive amounts of water for this very same reason.
I am sure soil samples will show elevated levels of these chemicals if areas where conditions are conducive to their preservation can be located.
By all means don