/sci/ - Science & Math

>>15504396
I suppose if you could find 2 subpopulations of one species that are mostly different in only one sense: one lives in especially irradiated or magnetic environment and is evolved to deal with it and the other does not, it would be a perfect model for research.
You can put them in this radiation/magnetism free experimental biome and see if the population not evolved for rad/mag resistance would outperform the other on reproductive success because they have surplus resources making them better adapted to other aspects of their environment.
We have this notion that it's how it works because any energy spent on developing specific adaptations is taken from general adaptability but it could turn out not to be the case. Perhaps the resistant population will thrive because they are just generally more robust because evolution only favours adaptability to the environment and doesn't promote surplus adaptation in case situation worsens. Many organisms, especially specialists, are barely good enough to survive in their niche the way it is and even if there is a surplus it just goes into developing something to expand your niche and bifurcate into subspecies and then 2 different species.
I'm kinda not qualified so if there's actually evolutionary biologists here I'll appreciate if you could take up the baton on this one.