Jane Harris Zsovan Doesn't Understand Speciation

 
Jane Harris Zsovan posts on a blog called Design of Life. I don't read her blog on a regular basis but Denyse O'Leary recently linked to a post on how speciation doesn't agree with evolutionary theory [Hybridization One Key to Survival].

Jane Harris Zsovan is intrigued by hybrids that appear to be more fit than either of their parents. She thinks this conflicts with Darwinian Theory. Here's an example of how she thinks evolution should work.

Hybrids With Genetic Advantages A Problem for Darwinian Theory

Darwin's theory of natural selection requires offspring to diverge from a common ancestor to create new species. It requires genetic differences to increase as descendants adapt to their environmental niches.

It is this 'natural selection' and 'adaptation' that creates species. And, as the newly created species continue to adapt, they should become more different over time. Following this line of thought, hybrids should be less viable than their parents.

There are many different ways for two isolated populations to evolve into separate species. In many (most?) cases the two lineages diverge by random genetic drift and not just natural selection. The exact mutations leading to genetic incompatibility are most likely to arise by accident and become fixed in one of the lineages by drift.

Evolutionary theory does not require that two separated lineages diverge by natural selection. Speciation does not depend on adaptation. This hasn't been a requirement of speciation for over thirty years [Speciation].

Typically a new population will be founded by a small number of individuals. As the new isolated population grows it will lack much of the genetic variation of the parent population and, consequently, it may be far less fit in it's new environment than a random selection of individuals from the parent population might be. An infusion of new alleles from the parent population by hybridization might lead to individuals that are more fit.

There is nothing in evolutionary theory that says hybrids can't be more fit than either parent. The flaw in Jane Harris Zsovan's logic is entirely due to the obsession creationist have with Darwin and natural selection. They have convinced themselves that everything in evolution must be explained by "Darwinism." This fits with their political agenda. That's why they try so hard to associate evolution with a man who died over one hundred years ago.

The irony comes when they start believing their own false caricature of evolution. That's what happened here, and Denyse O'Leary falls for it hook line and sinker [ More evidence that Darwin's theory of natural selection as the origin of new species is wrong]. The title of Denyse's post is very revealing. Of course, it's wrong to attribute everything to natural selection. Denyse has been told this time and time again and so, I presume, has Jane Harris Zsovan. They are very slow learners. They look like IDiots.

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