As Andrew suggests, it could be someone looking for a quote to put on a website. However, for the record, it is important to note that talkorigins.org is NOT a creationist website, but a website dedicated to providing scientific information on evolution. See http://www.talkorigins.org/origins/welcome.html. Perhaps someone is trying to find statements to refute the claims on the page suggested by Andrew.
-- Dr. Christopher Beck Department of Biology Emory University 1510 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30322 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: 404-712-9012 FAX: 404-727-2880 > -----Original Message----- > From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Andrew J. Bohonak > Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 12:28 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Suspicious request for help on ecology > > Colleagues, > > I have also received the same email at San Diego State University. > > After a google search on some of the email's text, I found a page at > talkorigins.org (a creationist web site) that critiques a scenario > about speciation that is similar to that discussed in the email. > see http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-speciation.html > > My guess is that someone is trying to 1) remotely engage in a debate > about evolution, or more likely 2) obtain emails from academics on > the topic of speciation so that they may lift a few phrases out of > context to quote them later on a web site. > > Considering the deceptive nature of this email, it is probably best > to ignore it. > > > Andrew Bohonak > > > >Dear Colleagues, > >This is a head's up for those about to give examinations related to > ecology. > >Several ecology faculty here at OSU have simultaneously (at 3:00 AM > >on Sunday) received the following message. It arrived via an aol > >address. The name has been removed from the text below, but it does > >not match any students enrolled at OSU. It is hard to imagine that > >this is a particular request for a student who is 'just interested > >in the topic'. On the chance that the message has originated from > >someone who has happened upon an advanced copy of an examination, I > >thought it would be prudent to send this to the list in case the > >author of the examination is an ecolog-l subscriber. > >--Mike > >______________________________________________________________________ > _________ > > > > > >My name is **** and I am a sophomore at OK State. The school website > >must be down because the email server isn't working. I found a > >peculiar genetics question / scenario that I was of interest. Based > >off your research and professional interests I was hoping you could > >shed light on two of these questions I have. > > > >My first question is: lets say there are two widely separated ponds > >that each have a population of a species of sunfish in them. > >Assuming I obtained demographic data on these two populations that > >showed that there are differences in the sunfish life histories > >between the two populations. I need to develop a scenario in which > >differences in a particular biotic factor between the two observed > >populations might lead to these two populations evolving differences > >in their life histories, despite being the same species?? Its kind > >of a tongue twister and I am having trouble. > > > >My second questions theoretical question that I am not to sure on my > >answer. I have to simulate an environment where I create an > >artificial pond in your backyard that's looks as natural as possible > >and self-sustaining, just as a pond might be in nature. I stick a > >few males and females (when sexes are separate) of several aquatic > >plant and animal species, including invertebrates and vertebrates. I > >do not artificially provide any outside sources of food or nutrients. > > > >A.) I have to explain why the population of each species in my pond > >could expect to initially grow exponentially. > > > >(B) Then I have to explain why each population could be expected to > >grow exponentially only for a short period in nature? > > > >If you could please lead me in the right direction and explain to me > >the steps as to how this happens, I would really appreciate it, > >thanks! > > > -- > > Andrew J. Bohonak > Associate Professor > Vice Chair and Director of Undergraduate Advising and Curriculum > > San Diego State University > Department of Biology, MC 4614 > 5500 Campanile Drive > San Diego, CA 92182-4614 > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > Phone: 619-594-0414 > Fax: 619-594-5676 > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Web: http://www.bio.sdsu.edu/pub/andy/index.html > Office: 212 Life Science North >
