Reply to: RE>Poor Willi Hennig...
I am in complete agreement with Ludvig Mortberg's comments. I am grateful
that he has had the courage to voice some of my unspoken concerns.
- Dr. Warren Lamboy
Dept. of Hort Sciences and
USDA-ARS Plant Genetic Resources Unit
Cornell University
Geneva, NY 14456
(BUT ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MY OWN.)
--------------------------------------
Date: 15/09/1995 14:06
To: Warren Lamboy
From: Ludvig Mortberg
Molecular systematics has as see it done enourmous dagage to
phyologenetic research. It will take decades to recover from
the curse of it. Molecular systematics violates all concepts
we have developed of how evolution happens and can be studied.
Evolution is descent by modification. There is no constant clock
in the genom that makes it possible to deduce relationships in
organisms just by comparing genes and seeing which sequences
are most similar. You must look at what is unique. You must have
outgroups and use charachters of high information value such as
morphologic traits, whole genes etc. The information value of a
single nucleotide substitution isn't very high.
All intelligent biologists today that understand this must join in
a crusade against molecular systematics. It must be exorcised from
corpus scientifica.
Don't accept surprise results that go against common sense.
Phylogenies drawn up from rRNA or mtDNA should not be trusted, unless
unique complete genes or long sequences are the characters used and
their polarity established. The clock is bullshit.
Don't belive trees of life drawn up from rRNA. You're all beeing
fooled.
Willi Hennig would be turning in his grave if he knew how phylogenetic
research is conducted today.
I understand that flame engines are warming up right now. If you get
people angry enough a productive discussion may be the result.
I think I've made my point.
Ludvig
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From: Agneta.Guillemot at historia.umu.se (Ludvig Mortberg)
Subject: Poor Willi Hennig...
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 1995 14:38:47 -0400
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