Microbial communities don't follow Darwinism?

[enigl at aol.com]

In article <01bc05b1$112ddd60$dac5a9c6 at dschmid.wbm.ca>, "Dirk Schmid"
<dschmid at eagle.wbm.ca> writes:

>Come to think of it, Darwin's principle of natural selection appears to
be
>flawed. Natural selection can not account for the evolution of microbial
>communities, and it can not account for the close association of
>microorganisms within a microbial community.
>
>

Sure it can.  It's not flawed at all.  Read Richard Dawkins _The Selfish
Gene_  for an explaination of this.

He explains the changes in a community are not for individual survival but
survival of the genes.  A biofilm acts as an organism for survival of the
community or if you like, the biofilm organism its self.

<<
If there is such a close association within a biofilm or community, then
competition simply can not exist.>>

And, the survivial of the biofilm community acts like a whole organism
survival, so the community will tend to compete with the non-associated
members.  Your brain cells are not in competition with your blood cells.

<<Well, that sure throws Darwin out the window, doesn't it?>>

Non sequitur.

______________________________
<<Dirk Schmid
dfs846 at mail.usask.ca
University of Saskatchewan
Canada>>