[b said:
Quote[/b] (Rubra @ Jan. 12 2005,10:28)]So nepenthes evolved from a mutant plant that all of a sudden put out a wierd formation that happened to be able to absorb nutrients. Somehow, that's no perfect logic to me!
Peter
It didn't evolve from a mutated plant. uggh....
Let's say plant A lives in a nutrient poor environment. (its not carnivorous yet). Let's say the next generation (although it might not happen so quickly) Has a feature that traps insects on its leaves. It absorbs the dying insects nutrients. Because of this it grow bigger and when it reproduces it passes on that trait. This puts them at an advantage to the other plants of the same specie. A few generations down the plant is populated everywhere and because of this advantage the plants of the species that dont possess the trait die off or are very rare.
Now.
Let's say the plant with the "bug absorbing" trait continues evolving and evolves to have cup shaped ends on its leaves. And so on and so forth. Its a very long process.
The thing is that there are always going to be all kinds of mutations. Its all about the mutation fitting into what the plant requires.
In case you don't get me yet heres another example.
Let's say there is 1 species of humans with 3 different kinds of mutations. humans a b and c
Human A is slightly more muscular than the rest
Human B has slightly better hearing than the rest
Human C has better eyesight than the rest
Now. Depending on the environment these 3 humans are placed, the trait will prove benefitial.
Environment 1:
Let's say we put humans A B and C in the Forest. In order for them to build shelter and catch food they need strenght and higher muscularity. Human A will do very good in this environment and attact attention from the opposite sex and spread that trait around. Humans B and C don't benefit from this environment. They might either die off or live in very small quantities.
Environment 2:
Now. Let's say we put humants A B and C in the plains. There are predators lurking and one must have good hearing in order to dodge and escape them. Human B will benefit from this environment. Humans A and C will probably die off or live in very small amounts. Human B will dominate and reproduce more than A and C.
Environment 3:
Lastly, let's say that we place humans A B and C in a safari. You need to have good eyesight to spot predators from far off. Human C will benefit from this environment and A and B will die off.
You catch my drift.
Depending on the environment and the trait, it will be accepted into the species and dominate. After that trait dominates, the ones without that trait die off. After everyone in the species has that trait from there branch off other traits that may or may not be accepted.
The process is slow may take thousands of years.