APOLOGIES, BUT THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE   Web mongabay.com fish.mongabay.com rainforests.mongabay.com news.mongabay.com travel.mongabay.com RAINFOREST INFORMATION  Preface  World Rainforests  Rainforest Structure  Rainforest Biodiversity  Canopy  Forest Floor  Rainforest Waters  Indigenous People  Deforestation  Global Importance  Rainforest Conservation  Country Reports  References  Deforestation Tables  The Amazon Rainforest  The Congo Rainforest  Deforestation in Brazil  Rainforest Images  Rainforest Books  Links  Site Map  Other languages FOR KIDS  About rainforests  Rainforest animals  Rainforest people  In the rainforest  Why are rainforests important?  Why are rainforests disappearing?  How can we save rainforests?  Teaching resources TROPICAL FISH  Preface  Introduction  Fish Anatomy  Water Chemistry  The Aquarium  Plant Care  Plant Species  Food  Disease  Non-fish Species  Breeding  Bibliography  Links  Biotope Aquaria  Species by Ecosystem  Species by Country  Fish Species | Families  Catfish  Characins  Cichlids  Cyprinds  Killifish  Labyrinth Fish  Livebearers  Loaches  Others  Perches  Rainbowfish DATA Data aggregations found on mongabay.com Deforestation figures for selected countries: deforestation statistics for more than 200 countries worldwide. Figures come from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Country statistics: Other country-specific statistics including land area, human, population, economic indicators, and environmental conditions. Figures come from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. AIDS Statistics: for selected countries. From the U.S. Census Bureau. 2005 city population estimates for the world: proprietary population estimates for more than 10,000 cities. World's Largest Cities by Country United States Zip Codes: proprietary aggregation of U.S. postal codes. World's Largest Cities by Country Countries and Capitals World's Largest Cities World's Largest Urban Areas World Population Projections - 2002, 2010, 2015, 2020: United Nations projections. World Population Projections: United Nations projections for individual cities. Country studies: Text excerpted from on-line versions of books previously published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Army. Occupations in the United States: By job title. Includes job description and overview, number of people employed in a given occupation, and other data. Occupations in the United States: Comparison statistics by job title for cities in the US. For a given city, includes number of people employed in an occupation and salary data. Regional Occupational Data for the United States: By city. For a specific city, includes the number of people employed in a given occupation and salary figures. Tax Data for the United States World's Largest Countries by Land Area World's Largest Countries by Population XML / RSS / Syndication options There are three XML feeds for mongabay.com  All mongabay.com news

MONGABAY.COM Mongabay.com seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wildlands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging local and global trends in technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development >> CONTENTS Rainforests Tropical Fish Madagascar Pictures Kids' Site News About Contact Submissions Contribute Interview Copyright SUPPORT You can help support mongabay.com by becoming a contributor to keep this site up and running. Thank you for your continued interest in the site. Help support mongabay.com! Use the link below to buy from Amazon.com! SEARCH LINKS Rainforest Portal Forests.org FAO Forestry

Copyright Rhett A. Butler / mongabay.com 2006 All rights reserved.

The effort of these eminent naturalists and others, along with the bounty of hitherto unknown creatures found in newly discovered lands undermined the belief in the literal Ark as presented by the Scripture. Such an ark, which housed a pair of all species, was becoming quite crowded in the eighteenth century. Darwin and Wallace challenged the existing view that a supreme being created each species for a specific habitat (which required no evidence), and presented the concept of evolution by natural selection, for which they supplied evidence from their travels in the tropics.

The theory of evolution through natural selection is relatively simple. Individuals within any population, whether it be rhinoceros beetles, goanas, or barnacles, show variations in certain inheritable characteristics. These genetic variations are often random or chance changes in the genetic makeup of an individual that occur during reproduction. These differences in genetic characteristics mean some individuals are better suited to the conditions of their environment and leave more offspring than those less fit. Over long periods of time, the genetic composition of the population will change and the species essentially adapts (not consciously, but by "survival of the fittest") to changes in their environment. When a population has undergone so much genetic change that it is no longer capable of breeding with the original stock it is considered a new species.

In order for one species to become two or more species some form of geographic isolation is usually required (see the elephant example under "Ice Ages/Glaciation). New species can also form through adaptive radiation which occurs when a single species enters a habitat where niches remain unfilled. Gradually, those individuals with certain characteristics, say a longer beak or stronger claws, will have the advantage over other individuals with different traits. The individuals with these characteristics with thrive and produce more offspring and eventually fill the open niche. The most famous example of adaptive radiation are Darwin's finches of the Galapagos Islands, but many better examples exist like the lemurs of Madagascar (see chapter 4 under "Mammals") and the Honeycreepers of Hawaii. Honeycreepers, a bird the size of finch, have radiated into many different niches on the Hawaiian islands so that before human interference, some 30 species existed.

Population Diversity


Continued: Rainforest diversity

APOLOGIES, BUT THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE   Web mongabay.com fish.mongabay.com rainforests.mongabay.com news.mongabay.com travel.mongabay.com RAINFOREST INFORMATION  Preface  World Rainforests  Rainforest Structure  Rainforest Biodiversity  Canopy  Forest Floor  Rainforest Waters  Indigenous People  Deforestation  Global Importance  Rainforest Conservation  Country Reports  References  Deforestation Tables  The Amazon Rainforest  The Congo Rainforest  Deforestation in Brazil  Rainforest Images  Rainforest Books  Links  Site Map  Other languages FOR KIDS  About rainforests  Rainforest animals  Rainforest people  In the rainforest  Why are rainforests important?  Why are rainforests disappearing?  How can we save rainforests?  Teaching resources TROPICAL FISH  Preface  Introduction  Fish Anatomy  Water Chemistry  The Aquarium  Plant Care  Plant Species  Food  Disease  Non-fish Species  Breeding  Bibliography  Links  Biotope Aquaria  Species by Ecosystem  Species by Country  Fish Species | Families  Catfish  Characins  Cichlids  Cyprinds  Killifish  Labyrinth Fish  Livebearers  Loaches  Others  Perches  Rainbowfish DATA Data aggregations found on mongabay.com Deforestation figures for selected countries: deforestation statistics for more than 200 countries worldwide. Figures come from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Country statistics: Other country-specific statistics including land area, human, population, economic indicators, and environmental conditions. Figures come from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. AIDS Statistics: for selected countries. From the U.S. Census Bureau. 2005 city population estimates for the world: proprietary population estimates for more than 10,000 cities. World's Largest Cities by Country United States Zip Codes: proprietary aggregation of U.S. postal codes. World's Largest Cities by Country Countries and Capitals World's Largest Cities World's Largest Urban Areas World Population Projections - 2002, 2010, 2015, 2020: United Nations projections. World Population Projections: United Nations projections for individual cities. Country studies: Text excerpted from on-line versions of books previously published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Army. Occupations in the United States: By job title. Includes job description and overview, number of people employed in a given occupation, and other data. Occupations in the United States: Comparison statistics by job title for cities in the US. For a given city, includes number of people employed in an occupation and salary data. Regional Occupational Data for the United States: By city. For a specific city, includes the number of people employed in a given occupation and salary figures. Tax Data for the United States World's Largest Countries by Land Area World's Largest Countries by Population XML / RSS / Syndication options There are three XML feeds for mongabay.com  All mongabay.com news

MONGABAY.COM Mongabay.com seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wildlands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging local and global trends in technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development >> CONTENTS Rainforests Tropical Fish Madagascar Pictures Kids' Site News About Contact Submissions Contribute Interview Copyright SUPPORT You can help support mongabay.com by becoming a contributor to keep this site up and running. Thank you for your continued interest in the site. Help support mongabay.com! Use the link below to buy from Amazon.com! SEARCH LINKS Rainforest Portal Forests.org FAO Forestry

Copyright Rhett A. Butler / mongabay.com 2006 All rights reserved.

APOLOGIES, BUT THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE   Web mongabay.com fish.mongabay.com rainforests.mongabay.com news.mongabay.com travel.mongabay.com RAINFOREST INFORMATION  Preface  World Rainforests  Rainforest Structure  Rainforest Biodiversity  Canopy  Forest Floor  Rainforest Waters  Indigenous People  Deforestation  Global Importance  Rainforest Conservation  Country Reports  References  Deforestation Tables  The Amazon Rainforest  The Congo Rainforest  Deforestation in Brazil  Rainforest Images  Rainforest Books  Links  Site Map  Other languages FOR KIDS  About rainforests  Rainforest animals  Rainforest people  In the rainforest  Why are rainforests important?  Why are rainforests disappearing?  How can we save rainforests?  Teaching resources TROPICAL FISH  Preface  Introduction  Fish Anatomy  Water Chemistry  The Aquarium  Plant Care  Plant Species  Food  Disease  Non-fish Species  Breeding  Bibliography  Links  Biotope Aquaria  Species by Ecosystem  Species by Country  Fish Species | Families  Catfish  Characins  Cichlids  Cyprinds  Killifish  Labyrinth Fish  Livebearers  Loaches  Others  Perches  Rainbowfish DATA Data aggregations found on mongabay.com Deforestation figures for selected countries: deforestation statistics for more than 200 countries worldwide. Figures come from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Country statistics: Other country-specific statistics including land area, human, population, economic indicators, and environmental conditions. Figures come from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. AIDS Statistics: for selected countries. From the U.S. Census Bureau. 2005 city population estimates for the world: proprietary population estimates for more than 10,000 cities. World's Largest Cities by Country United States Zip Codes: proprietary aggregation of U.S. postal codes. World's Largest Cities by Country Countries and Capitals World's Largest Cities World's Largest Urban Areas World Population Projections - 2002, 2010, 2015, 2020: United Nations projections. World Population Projections: United Nations projections for individual cities. Country studies: Text excerpted from on-line versions of books previously published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Army. Occupations in the United States: By job title. Includes job description and overview, number of people employed in a given occupation, and other data. Occupations in the United States: Comparison statistics by job title for cities in the US. For a given city, includes number of people employed in an occupation and salary data. Regional Occupational Data for the United States: By city. For a specific city, includes the number of people employed in a given occupation and salary figures. Tax Data for the United States World's Largest Countries by Land Area World's Largest Countries by Population XML / RSS / Syndication options There are three XML feeds for mongabay.com  All mongabay.com news

MONGABAY.COM Mongabay.com seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wildlands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging local and global trends in technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development >> CONTENTS Rainforests Tropical Fish Madagascar Pictures Kids' Site News About Contact Submissions Contribute Interview Copyright SUPPORT You can help support mongabay.com by becoming a contributor to keep this site up and running. Thank you for your continued interest in the site. Help support mongabay.com! Use the link below to buy from Amazon.com! SEARCH LINKS Rainforest Portal Forests.org FAO Forestry

Copyright Rhett A. Butler / mongabay.com 2006 All rights reserved.

APOLOGIES, BUT THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE   Web mongabay.com fish.mongabay.com rainforests.mongabay.com news.mongabay.com travel.mongabay.com RAINFOREST INFORMATION  Preface  World Rainforests  Rainforest Structure  Rainforest Biodiversity  Canopy  Forest Floor  Rainforest Waters  Indigenous People  Deforestation  Global Importance  Rainforest Conservation  Country Reports  References  Deforestation Tables  The Amazon Rainforest  The Congo Rainforest  Deforestation in Brazil  Rainforest Images  Rainforest Books  Links  Site Map  Other languages FOR KIDS  About rainforests  Rainforest animals  Rainforest people  In the rainforest  Why are rainforests important?  Why are rainforests disappearing?  How can we save rainforests?  Teaching resources TROPICAL FISH  Preface  Introduction  Fish Anatomy  Water Chemistry  The Aquarium  Plant Care  Plant Species  Food  Disease  Non-fish Species  Breeding  Bibliography  Links  Biotope Aquaria  Species by Ecosystem  Species by Country  Fish Species | Families  Catfish  Characins  Cichlids  Cyprinds  Killifish  Labyrinth Fish  Livebearers  Loaches  Others  Perches  Rainbowfish DATA Data aggregations found on mongabay.com Deforestation figures for selected countries: deforestation statistics for more than 200 countries worldwide. Figures come from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Country statistics: Other country-specific statistics including land area, human, population, economic indicators, and environmental conditions. Figures come from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. AIDS Statistics: for selected countries. From the U.S. Census Bureau. 2005 city population estimates for the world: proprietary population estimates for more than 10,000 cities. World's Largest Cities by Country United States Zip Codes: proprietary aggregation of U.S. postal codes. World's Largest Cities by Country Countries and Capitals World's Largest Cities World's Largest Urban Areas World Population Projections - 2002, 2010, 2015, 2020: United Nations projections. World Population Projections: United Nations projections for individual cities. Country studies: Text excerpted from on-line versions of books previously published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Army. Occupations in the United States: By job title. Includes job description and overview, number of people employed in a given occupation, and other data. Occupations in the United States: Comparison statistics by job title for cities in the US. For a given city, includes number of people employed in an occupation and salary data. Regional Occupational Data for the United States: By city. For a specific city, includes the number of people employed in a given occupation and salary figures. Tax Data for the United States World's Largest Countries by Land Area World's Largest Countries by Population XML / RSS / Syndication options There are three XML feeds for mongabay.com  All mongabay.com news

MONGABAY.COM Mongabay.com seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wildlands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging local and global trends in technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development >> CONTENTS Rainforests Tropical Fish Madagascar Pictures Kids' Site News About Contact Submissions Contribute Interview Copyright SUPPORT You can help support mongabay.com by becoming a contributor to keep this site up and running. Thank you for your continued interest in the site. Help support mongabay.com! Use the link below to buy from Amazon.com! SEARCH LINKS Rainforest Portal Forests.org FAO Forestry

Copyright Rhett A. Butler / mongabay.com 2006 All rights reserved.