Applications of Evolution - More on the gall wasp

Posted 6 March 2006 by Mike Dunford

A while back I put up a couple of posts about an invasive gall wasp that's threatening a species of tree unique to Hawaii. In the first of those posts, I made a few predictions, based on my understanding of ecology and evolution, on how researchers might be able to control the gall wasp infestation: Read More (at The Questionable Authority):

7 Comments

wamba · 7 March 2006

For those with religious objections to discussion of evolution in wasps, here's an article about evolution in humans:

A Map of Recent Positive Selection in the Human Genome
Benjamin F. Voight, Sridhar Kudaravalli, Xiaoquan Wen, Jonathan K. Pritchard,
PLoS Biology Volume 4 | Issue 3 | MARCH 2006

Tyrannosaurus · 7 March 2006

Now, how and IDiot would go around a problem like this?
Well in retrospective...... THE CREATOR did it.
Sarcasm switch on
No, seriously let's think hard about this. The Creator designed a wasp that attacks this particular family/genus/species of trees. But alas also attacks other related trees whenever it invades a habitat. Somehow I cannot see how ID can come with a reasonable explanation for these effects on native species when invasions take place. Oh hell, I guess I am not going to get an ID grant to study ID mechanisms and gall wasps. Forgive CREATOR/DESIGNER for my sins and lack of faith in your infallible designs.
Sarcasm switch off

Tyrannosaurus · 7 March 2006
Now, how and IDiot would go around a problem like this?
Well in retrospective...... THE CREATOR did it.
Sarcasm switch on
No, seriously let's think hard about this. The Creator designed a wasp species that attacks this particular family/genus/species of trees. But alas also attacks other related trees whenever it invades a habitat. Somehow I cannot see how ID can come with a reasonable explanation for these effects on native species when invasions take place. Oh hell, I guess I am not going to get an ID grant to study ID mechanisms and gall wasps. Forgive me CREATOR/DESIGNER for my sins and lack of faith in your infallible designs.
Sarcasm switch off

HP · 7 March 2006
They found it in Tanzania.
The judges would also have accepted Namibia, Botswana, or Mozambique. :-)
Great post - thanks.

Air Bear · 7 March 2006
Quote of the day, maybe of the month:
Ultimately, however, it may be impossible to save the Wiliwili without some sort of biological control.
The less context, the better!

EZGoing · 8 March 2006
I don't see how that prediction has anything to do with evolution. Sorry. That's almost tautological. Invasive species implies no checks that would normally control said species.

Rilke's Granddaughter · 8 March 2006
I don't see how that prediction has anything to do with evolution. Sorry. That's almost tautological. Invasive species implies no checks that would normally control said species.
It's the selection of locations to look for a predator species that's an 'evolutionary prediction'. What I'm more interested in is how you would test that a newly-introduced predator isn't going to cause a problem by evolving to prey on something else.