[Taxacom] Long distance oceanic dispersal

Stephen Thorpe stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz
Sun Jun 3 17:32:31 CDT 2018


There are a couple of issues here. Very occasionally, entire chunks of intact ecosystem could be dislodged and dispersed over the ocean (i.e. "floating islands"). This might actually be testable to some extent as one might expect more than one species to disperse simultaneously to the same new location.
Secondly, bear in mind the interplay between chance dispersal and continental drift. The closer two landmasses are to each other, the higher likelihood of successful chance dispersal.
Stephen

--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 4/6/18, Les Watling <watling at hawaii.edu> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Long distance oceanic dispersal
 To: "Cc: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu" <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 Received: Monday, 4 June, 2018, 6:22 AM
 
 I would suggest that it is one thing for
 marine species to raft across the
 ocean, and for shallow or beach wrack
 species that might be reasonably
 possible, but for terrestrial species
 to make it.... well that is another
 thing unless there is positive evidence
 for salt water tolerance, as in the
 case of coconuts.
 
 Having spent some time in storms in the
 southern ocean, I would think there
 is no way, even for 20,000 instances of
 drift initiated by a tsunami, that
 a plant or animal with low tolerance to
 salt water could make it in
 sufficient form to colonize some other
 shore. Usually these storms at the
 southern end of the earth produce
 swells and spilling waves of 5-20 m
 height, depending on location, so
 anything in the water is going to get
 tumbled. Put a fruit of Nothofagus in
 sea water for a couple of months and
 then let us know whether it will
 germinate. Same with mites, mosses, and
 the like.
 
 For Nothofagus, I suspect this is the
 least likeliest explanation for their
 distribution. Drifting land masses
 keeps things out of the salt!
 
 Best,
 
 Les Watling
 Professor, Dept. of Biology
 216 Edmondson Hall
 University of Hawaii at Manoa
 Honolulu, HI 96822
 Ph. 808-956-8621
 Cell: 808-772-9563
 e-mail: watling at hawaii.edu
 
 
 
 
 
 On Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at 1:00 PM, <taxacom-request at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 wrote:
 
 > Daily News from the Taxacom
 Mailing List
 >
 > When responding to a message,
 please do not copy the entire digest into
 > your reply.
 >
 ____________________________________
 >
 >
 > Today's Topics:
 >
 >    1. Please ignore test
 POST (bayshark at exemail.com.au)
 >    2. Long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (rafting) of Nothofagus
 >       species
 (Kenneth Kinman)
 >    3. Re: Long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (rafting) of Nothofagus
 >       species
 (Stephen Thorpe)
 >    4. Workplace gender
 quotas in science and elsewhere (Stephen Thorpe)
 >    5. Re: Long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (rafting) of  Nothofagus
 >       species
 (Michael Heads)
 >    6. Re: Long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (rafting) of Nothofagus
 >       species
 (Kenneth Kinman)
 >    7. Re: Long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (rafting) of  Nothofagus
 >       species (John
 Grehan)
 >    8. Re: Long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (rafting) of  Nothofagus
 >       species
 (Barry OConnor)
 >    9. Re: Long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (rafting) of  Nothofagus
 >       species (John
 Grehan)
 >
 >
 >
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 >
 > Message: 1
 > Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 09:18:47
 +1000
 > From: <bayshark at exemail.com.au>
 > To: "'taxacom'" <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > Subject: [Taxacom] Please ignore
 test POST
 > Message-ID: <9D276EBC40DE4F4FBEC791FE607A04AC at RicardoPC>
 > Content-Type: text/plain; 
      charset="us-ascii"
 >
 > Because I am receiving recently my
 post twice in a few days
 >
 > Vratislav
 >
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > Message: 2
 > Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 01:51:08
 +0000
 > From: Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > To: Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > Subject: [Taxacom] Long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 >        
 Nothofagus      species
 > Message-ID:
 >         <CY4PR11MB14801083F5BA1FC595E60745C1610 at CY4PR11MB1480.
 > namprd11.prod.outlook.com>
 >
 > Content-Type: text/plain;
 charset="iso-8859-1"
 >
 > Hi all,
 >       The recent
 thread got me thinking about a debate that some of us
 > were having on taxacom almost 12
 years ago.  Namely whether long-distance
 > oceanic dispersal (by rafting) was
 a significant factor in the geographic
 > distribution of some species of
 Nothofagus (sensu lato).
 >        My
 hypothesis was that large rafts of dislodged Nothofagus
 trees
 > (due to tsunami or other massive
 flooding event) could have held some of
 > their fruit above the ocean
 surface and rafted from Tasmania to New
 > Zealand, where one or more 
 new species could evolve (due to founder
 > effect).  This would be a
 relatively short rafting event compared to the
 > much longer driftwood oceanic
 rafting that happened from South America to
 > Tasmania: Barber, 1959, in the
 journal Nature; "Transport of Driftwood from
 > South America to Tasmania". Is
 there other evidence that such dispersal of
 > Nothofagus could have happened?
 Could certain insects, mosses, or other
 > organisms have hitched a ride on
 such a Nothofagus raft?
 >         
                
           --------------Ken Kinman
 > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108385.html
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > Message: 3
 > Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 01:59:31
 +0000 (UTC)
 > From: Stephen Thorpe <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>
 > To: Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > Subject: Re: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 >        
 Nothofagus      species
 > Message-ID: <967563807.8135822.1527991171054 at mail.yahoo.com>
 > Content-Type: text/plain;
 charset=UTF-8
 >
 > "Could certain insects, mosses, or
 other organisms have hitched a ride on
 > such a Nothofagus raft?"
 >
 > Impossible to rule out just about
 anything that doesn't constantly require
 > running freshwater. If it happened
 during summer, there could be a
 > desiccating effect, but at other
 times the amount of freshwater dampness
 > could remain at acceptable
 levels.
 >
 > The problem though, as I see it,
 is that these dispersion events are
 > entirely random and unpredictable,
 so it is hard to base much in the way of
 > science on it.
 >
 > Stephen
 >
 >
 --------------------------------------------
 > On Sun, 3/6/18, Kenneth Kinman
 <kinman at hotmail.com>
 wrote:
 >
 >  Subject: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 > Nothofagus     species
 >  To: "Kenneth Kinman" <kinman at hotmail.com>
 >  Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 >  Received: Sunday, 3 June,
 2018, 1:51 PM
 >
 >  Hi all,
 >
 >  The recent thread got me
 thinking about a debate that some
 >  of us were having on taxacom
 almost 12 years ago.  Namely
 >  whether long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (by rafting) was a
 >  significant factor in the
 geographic distribution of some
 >  species of Nothofagus (sensu
 lato).
 >
 >   My hypothesis was that
 large rafts of dislodged Nothofagus
 >  trees (due to tsunami or
 other massive flooding event) could
 >  have held some of their
 fruit above the ocean surface and
 >  rafted from Tasmania to New
 Zealand, where one or more  new
 >  species could evolve (due to
 founder effect).  This would
 >  be a relatively short
 rafting event compared to the much
 >  longer driftwood oceanic
 rafting that happened from South
 >  America to Tasmania: Barber,
 1959, in the journal Nature;
 >  "Transport of Driftwood from
 South America to
 >  Tasmania". Is there other
 evidence that such dispersal
 >  of Nothofagus could have
 happened? Could certain insects,
 >  mosses, or other organisms
 have hitched a ride on such a
 >  Nothofagus raft?
 >
 >         
          --------------Ken Kinman
 >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108385.html
 > 
 _______________________________________________
 >  Taxacom Mailing List
 >  Send
 >  Taxacom mailing list
 submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 >
 >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 >  The Taxacom Archive back to
 1992 may be
 >  searched at: http://taxacom.markmail.org
 >  To subscribe or unsubscribe
 via the Web, visit:
 >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 >  You can reach the person
 managing the list at:
 >  taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 >
 >  Nurturing Nuance while
 >  Assaulting Ambiguity for 31
 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 >
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > Message: 4
 > Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 02:22:47
 +0000 (UTC)
 > From: Stephen Thorpe <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>
 > To: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > Subject: [Taxacom] Workplace
 gender quotas in science and elsewhere
 > Message-ID: <1779694158.8141044.1527992567102 at mail.yahoo.com>
 > Content-Type: text/plain;
 charset=UTF-8
 >
 > This subject is perhaps a bit
 off-topic for Taxacom, but workplace gender
 > quotas may be applied to taxonomic
 jobs as much as any other, so I thought
 > it might be worth highlighting a
 most ridiculous spin being put on research
 > to defend workplace gender quotas
 against the objection they are
 > unmeritocratic (=candidates of
 high merit may miss out just because they
 > are yet another male).
 >
 > https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/workplace-
 >
 gender-quotas-incompetence-efficiency-business-
 >
 organisations-london-school-economics-lse-a7797061.html
 >
 > The argument seems to be that far
 from being unmeritocratic, workplace
 > gender quotas actually weed out
 men of mediocre/low merit (competence), so
 > it is all good!
 >
 > Quite apart from the fact that
 "Those with higher incomes were deemed more
 > competent", which is itself
 laughable for fairly obvious (I hope!) reasons,
 > the real killer in this argument
 is this, I suggest:
 >
 > With a quota in place, what are
 you going to do? (A) Replace the most
 > competent men with women; or (B)
 Replace the least competent men with
 > women? It is a bit of a no-brainer
 (to say the least!) to opt for (B), so
 > of course workplace gender quotas
 weed out men of mediocre/low competence!
 >
 > Given that "Those with higher
 incomes were deemed more competent" and
 > higher income=more senior role,
 all that is happening is that women are
 > being selected for the less senior
 roles in order to keep the more senior
 > roles male dominated!
 >
 > Although this doesn't paint a good
 picture of workplace sexism, my main
 > point is that the study actually
 does nothing to counter the objection that
 > workplace gender quotas are
 unmeritocratic, even though that is how it is
 > being spun! Sure, if you define
 competence in terms of income and somehow
 > link it to the concept of "merit",
 men of lower competence ("merit") are
 > being "weeded out", but this does
 nothing to counter the objection that men
 > who would otherwise be hired on
 merit miss out simply due to the fact that
 > they are men, and I would call
 that gender discrimination against men!
 > Worse, it is quite consistent with
 a less competent woman being hired
 > instead of a more competent man,
 however you define competency, if the male
 > quota is already filled.
 >
 > I am quite alarmed by the
 subversive and misleading nature of some
 > so-called "research" in this
 area!
 >
 > Stephen
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > Message: 5
 > Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 17:20:34
 +1200
 > From: Michael Heads <m.j.heads at gmail.com>
 > To: Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > Subject: Re: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 >        
 Nothofagus species
 > Message-ID:
 >        
 <CAF_uauDCQL0mfbHP0Mw39ep4N27V2dZMRecMBrifWvYvDGza+Q at mail.gmail.
 > com>
 > Content-Type: text/plain;
 charset="UTF-8"
 >
 > even one-in-a-thousand-years
 tsunamis would have occurred 20 000 times in
 > the Neogene alone, so you then
 have to explain why dispersal occurred only
 > once. And why the same pattern has
 occurred in many other groups. Of
 > course, that isn't a problem with
 chance dispersal, which can explain any
 > distribution at all.
 >
 > On Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at 1:51 PM,
 Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 wrote:
 >
 > > Hi all,
 > >       The
 recent thread got me thinking about a debate that some of
 us
 > > were having on taxacom almost
 12 years ago.  Namely whether long-distance
 > > oceanic dispersal (by
 rafting) was a significant factor in the geographic
 > > distribution of some species
 of Nothofagus (sensu lato).
 > >        My
 hypothesis was that large rafts of dislodged Nothofagus
 trees
 > > (due to tsunami or other
 massive flooding event) could have held some of
 > > their fruit above the ocean
 surface and rafted from Tasmania to New
 > > Zealand, where one or
 more  new species could evolve (due to founder
 > > effect).  This would be
 a relatively short rafting event compared to the
 > > much longer driftwood oceanic
 rafting that happened from South America to
 > > Tasmania: Barber, 1959, in
 the journal Nature; "Transport of Driftwood
 > from
 > > South America to Tasmania".
 Is there other evidence that such dispersal
 > of
 > > Nothofagus could have
 happened? Could certain insects, mosses, or other
 > > organisms have hitched a ride
 on such a Nothofagus raft?
 > >       
                
             --------------Ken
 Kinman
 > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108385.html
 > >
 _______________________________________________
 > > Taxacom Mailing List
 > > Send Taxacom mailing list
 submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >
 > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > The Taxacom Archive back to
 1992 may be searched at:
 > > http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > > To subscribe or unsubscribe
 via the Web, visit:
 > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > You can reach the person
 managing the list at:
 > > taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >
 > > Nurturing Nuance while
 Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 > >
 >
 >
 >
 > --
 > Dunedin, New Zealand.
 >
 > My books:
 >
 > *Biogeography and evolution in New
 Zealand. *Taylor and Francis/CRC, Boca
 > Raton FL. 2017.
 > https://www.routledge.com/Biogeography-and-Evolution-in-
 >
 New-Zealand/Heads/p/book/9781498751872
 >
 >
 > *Biogeography of
 Australasia:  A molecular analysis*. Cambridge
 University
 > Press, Cambridge. 2014.
 www.cambridge.org/9781107041028
 >
 >
 > *Molecular panbiogeography of the
 tropics. *University of California Press,
 > Berkeley. 2012.
 www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520271968
 >
 >
 > *Panbiogeography: Tracking the
 history of life*. Oxford University Press,
 > New York. 1999. (With R. Craw and
 J. Grehan).
 > http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=Bm0_QQ3Z6GUC
 > <http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=Bm0_QQ3Z6GUC&dq=
 >
 panbiogeography&source=gbs_navlinks_s>
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > Message: 6
 > Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 12:38:12
 +0000
 > From: Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > To: Stephen Thorpe <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>
 > Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > Subject: Re: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 >        
 Nothofagus species
 > Message-ID:
 >         <CY4PR11MB1480E18ABE5835F633E440D6C1600 at CY4PR11MB1480.
 > namprd11.prod.outlook.com>
 >
 > Content-Type: text/plain;
 charset="iso-8859-1"
 >
 > Hi Stephen,
 >
 >       But it could
 be somewhat scientifically testable if some organisms
 > (mostly likely insects) have the
 same odd distribution in New Zealand and
 > Tasmania (or adjacent
 Australia).  So I am hoping that some entomologist
 > might know of insects that fit the
 bill.  And if there were more than one
 > such organism, the more likely
 this dispersal scenario would become.
 >
 >        And
 note that I cited two different Nothofagus species groups
 with
 > the same odd distribution (one in
 subgenus Lophozonia and the other in
 > subgenus Fuscospora).  And
 those two dispersals could have happened at
 > different times.  So that
 already increases the probability of dispersal.
 > Anyway, at least Fred understood
 what I was suggesting:
 > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108388.html
 >
 >
 > -----------------Ken
 >
 > ________________________________
 > From: Stephen Thorpe <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>
 > Sent: Saturday, June 2, 2018 8:59
 PM
 > To: Kenneth Kinman
 > Cc: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > Subject: Re: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 > Nothofagus species
 >
 > "Could certain insects, mosses, or
 other organisms have hitched a ride on
 > such a Nothofagus raft?"
 >
 > Impossible to rule out just about
 anything that doesn't constantly require
 > running freshwater. If it happened
 during summer, there could be a
 > desiccating effect, but at other
 times the amount of freshwater dampness
 > could remain at acceptable
 levels.
 >
 > The problem though, as I see it,
 is that these dispersion events are
 > entirely random and unpredictable,
 so it is hard to base much in the way of
 > science on it.
 >
 > Stephen
 >
 >
 --------------------------------------------
 > On Sun, 3/6/18, Kenneth Kinman
 <kinman at hotmail.com>
 wrote:
 >
 >  Subject: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 > Nothofagus     
 species
 >  To: "Kenneth Kinman" <kinman at hotmail.com>
 >  Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 >  Received: Sunday, 3 June,
 2018, 1:51 PM
 >
 >  Hi all,
 >
 >  The recent thread got me
 thinking about a debate that some
 >  of us were having on taxacom
 almost 12 years ago.  Namely
 >  whether long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (by rafting) was a
 >  significant factor in the
 geographic distribution of some
 >  species of Nothofagus (sensu
 lato).
 >
 >   My hypothesis was that
 large rafts of dislodged Nothofagus
 >  trees (due to tsunami or
 other massive flooding event) could
 >  have held some of their
 fruit above the ocean surface and
 >  rafted from Tasmania to New
 Zealand, where one or more  new
 >  species could evolve (due to
 founder effect).  This would
 >  be a relatively short
 rafting event compared to the much
 >  longer driftwood oceanic
 rafting that happened from South
 >  America to Tasmania: Barber,
 1959, in the journal Nature;
 >  "Transport of Driftwood from
 South America to
 >  Tasmania". Is there other
 evidence that such dispersal
 >  of Nothofagus could have
 happened? Could certain insects,
 >  mosses, or other organisms
 have hitched a ride on such a
 >  Nothofagus raft?
 >
 >         
          --------------Ken Kinman
 >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108385.html
 > 
 _______________________________________________
 >  Taxacom Mailing List
 >  Send
 >  Taxacom mailing list
 submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 >
 >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 >  The Taxacom Archive back to
 1992 may be
 >  searched at: http://taxacom.markmail.org
 >  To subscribe or unsubscribe
 via the Web, visit:
 >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 >  You can reach the person
 managing the list at:
 >  taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 >
 >  Nurturing Nuance while
 >  Assaulting Ambiguity for 31
 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 >
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > Message: 7
 > Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 10:46:22
 -0400
 > From: John Grehan <calabar.john at gmail.com>
 > To: Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > Subject: Re: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 >        
 Nothofagus species
 > Message-ID:
 >        
 <CADN0ud3yeaD2==LcQApvDpFNQqZ7vJUfq05D9u-rKNjpwVvwhg at mail.
 > gmail.com>
 > Content-Type: text/plain;
 charset="UTF-8"
 >
 > Ken,
 >
 > Its not a testable notion in any
 real sense any more than attributing the
 > connection to UFO's. Further, it
 is not an 'odd' distribution, but one that
 > is very even (meaning standard).
 One can invoke any number of imaginary
 > events to toss plants and animals
 from one side of the Tasman to the other,
 > or even just place them there by
 an Act of God, but there is no empirical
 > imperative to do so for this any
 more than imagining a tsunami to toss
 > frogs from Vancouver to New
 Zealand.
 >
 > John Grehan
 >
 > On Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at 8:38 AM,
 Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 wrote:
 >
 > > Hi Stephen,
 > >
 > >       But it
 could be somewhat scientifically testable if some organisms
 > > (mostly likely insects) have
 the same odd distribution in New Zealand and
 > > Tasmania (or adjacent
 Australia).  So I am hoping that some entomologist
 > > might know of insects that
 fit the bill.  And if there were more than one
 > > such organism, the more
 likely this dispersal scenario would become.
 > >
 > >       
 And note that I cited two different Nothofagus species
 groups with
 > > the same odd distribution
 (one in subgenus Lophozonia and the other in
 > > subgenus Fuscospora). 
 And those two dispersals could have happened at
 > > different times.  So
 that already increases the probability of dispersal.
 > > Anyway, at least Fred
 understood what I was suggesting:
 > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108388.html
 > >
 > >
 > > -----------------Ken
 > >
 > >
 ________________________________
 > > From: Stephen Thorpe <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>
 > > Sent: Saturday, June 2, 2018
 8:59 PM
 > > To: Kenneth Kinman
 > > Cc: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > > Subject: Re: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 > > Nothofagus species
 > >
 > > "Could certain insects,
 mosses, or other organisms have hitched a ride on
 > > such a Nothofagus raft?"
 > >
 > > Impossible to rule out just
 about anything that doesn't constantly
 > require
 > > running freshwater. If it
 happened during summer, there could be a
 > > desiccating effect, but at
 other times the amount of freshwater dampness
 > > could remain at acceptable
 levels.
 > >
 > > The problem though, as I see
 it, is that these dispersion events are
 > > entirely random and
 unpredictable, so it is hard to base much in the way
 > of
 > > science on it.
 > >
 > > Stephen
 > >
 > >
 --------------------------------------------
 > > On Sun, 3/6/18, Kenneth
 Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 wrote:
 > >
 > >  Subject: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 > > Nothofagus   
   species
 > >  To: "Kenneth Kinman"
 <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > >  Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > >  Received: Sunday, 3
 June, 2018, 1:51 PM
 > >
 > >  Hi all,
 > >
 > >  The recent thread got
 me thinking about a debate that some
 > >  of us were having on
 taxacom almost 12 years ago.  Namely
 > >  whether long-distance
 oceanic dispersal (by rafting) was a
 > >  significant factor in
 the geographic distribution of some
 > >  species of Nothofagus
 (sensu lato).
 > >
 > >   My hypothesis was that
 large rafts of dislodged Nothofagus
 > >  trees (due to tsunami
 or other massive flooding event) could
 > >  have held some of their
 fruit above the ocean surface and
 > >  rafted from Tasmania to
 New Zealand, where one or more  new
 > >  species could evolve
 (due to founder effect).  This would
 > >  be a relatively short
 rafting event compared to the much
 > >  longer driftwood
 oceanic rafting that happened from South
 > >  America to Tasmania:
 Barber, 1959, in the journal Nature;
 > >  "Transport of Driftwood
 from South America to
 > >  Tasmania". Is there
 other evidence that such dispersal
 > >  of Nothofagus could
 have happened? Could certain insects,
 > >  mosses, or other
 organisms have hitched a ride on such a
 > >  Nothofagus raft?
 > >
 > >       
            --------------Ken
 Kinman
 > >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108385.html
 > > 
 _______________________________________________
 > >  Taxacom Mailing List
 > >  Send
 > >  Taxacom mailing list
 submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >
 > >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > >  The Taxacom Archive
 back to 1992 may be
 > >  searched at: http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > >  To subscribe or
 unsubscribe via the Web, visit:
 > >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > >  You can reach the
 person managing the list at:
 > >  taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >
 > >  Nurturing Nuance while
 > >  Assaulting Ambiguity
 for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 > >
 > >
 _______________________________________________
 > > Taxacom Mailing List
 > > Send Taxacom mailing list
 submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >
 > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > The Taxacom Archive back to
 1992 may be searched at:
 > > http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > > To subscribe or unsubscribe
 via the Web, visit:
 > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > You can reach the person
 managing the list at:
 > > taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >
 > > Nurturing Nuance while
 Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 > >
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > Message: 8
 > Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 11:02:15
 -0400
 > From: Barry OConnor <bmoc at umich.edu>
 > To: John Grehan <calabar.john at gmail.com>
 > Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > Subject: Re: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 >        
 Nothofagus species
 > Message-ID:
 >        
 <CAC+ZtPdcUBJAkPUV70J0gz3aHzDo91=KxSWs1PmZQEzRzHWVdg at mail.gmail.
 > com>
 > Content-Type: text/plain;
 charset="UTF-8"
 >
 > A mite originally described from
 beach wrack in the Russian far east turned
 > up in beach wrack on the Oregon
 coast after the big Japanese
 > earthquake/tsunami. Could have
 always been there, just never discovered
 > until later. Given all the Asian
 stuff found on beaches in the Pacific
 > northwest after the tsunami,
 either way it's a possibility that its
 > distribution was affected by
 tsunamis at some point. As John points out,
 > however, neither scenario is
 testable without historical data, which is
 > absent.
 > All the best! - Barry
 >
 > On Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at 10:46 AM,
 John Grehan <calabar.john at gmail.com>
 > wrote:
 >
 > > Ken,
 > >
 > > Its not a testable notion in
 any real sense any more than attributing the
 > > connection to UFO's. Further,
 it is not an 'odd' distribution, but one
 > that
 > > is very even (meaning
 standard). One can invoke any number of imaginary
 > > events to toss plants and
 animals from one side of the Tasman to the
 > other,
 > > or even just place them there
 by an Act of God, but there is no empirical
 > > imperative to do so for this
 any more than imagining a tsunami to toss
 > > frogs from Vancouver to New
 Zealand.
 > >
 > > John Grehan
 > >
 > > On Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at 8:38
 AM, Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > wrote:
 > >
 > > > Hi Stephen,
 > > >
 > > >       But
 it could be somewhat scientifically testable if some
 > organisms
 > > > (mostly likely insects)
 have the same odd distribution in New Zealand
 > and
 > > > Tasmania (or adjacent
 Australia).  So I am hoping that some
 > entomologist
 > > > might know of insects
 that fit the bill.  And if there were more than
 > one
 > > > such organism, the more
 likely this dispersal scenario would become.
 > > >
 > > >     
   And note that I cited two different Nothofagus
 species groups
 > with
 > > > the same odd
 distribution (one in subgenus Lophozonia and the other in
 > > > subgenus
 Fuscospora).  And those two dispersals could have
 happened at
 > > > different times. 
 So that already increases the probability of
 > dispersal.
 > > > Anyway, at least Fred
 understood what I was suggesting:
 > > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108388.html
 > > >
 > > >
 > > > -----------------Ken
 > > >
 > > >
 ________________________________
 > > > From: Stephen Thorpe
 <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>
 > > > Sent: Saturday, June 2,
 2018 8:59 PM
 > > > To: Kenneth Kinman
 > > > Cc: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > > > Subject: Re: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 > > > Nothofagus species
 > > >
 > > > "Could certain insects,
 mosses, or other organisms have hitched a ride
 > on
 > > > such a Nothofagus
 raft?"
 > > >
 > > > Impossible to rule out
 just about anything that doesn't constantly
 > > require
 > > > running freshwater. If
 it happened during summer, there could be a
 > > > desiccating effect, but
 at other times the amount of freshwater
 > dampness
 > > > could remain at
 acceptable levels.
 > > >
 > > > The problem though, as I
 see it, is that these dispersion events are
 > > > entirely random and
 unpredictable, so it is hard to base much in the
 > way
 > > of
 > > > science on it.
 > > >
 > > > Stephen
 > > >
 > > >
 --------------------------------------------
 > > > On Sun, 3/6/18, Kenneth
 Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 wrote:
 > > >
 > > >  Subject: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 > > > Nothofagus   
   species
 > > >  To: "Kenneth
 Kinman" <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > > >  Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > > >  Received: Sunday,
 3 June, 2018, 1:51 PM
 > > >
 > > >  Hi all,
 > > >
 > > >  The recent thread
 got me thinking about a debate that some
 > > >  of us were having
 on taxacom almost 12 years ago.  Namely
 > > >  whether
 long-distance oceanic dispersal (by rafting) was a
 > > >  significant factor
 in the geographic distribution of some
 > > >  species of
 Nothofagus (sensu lato).
 > > >
 > > >   My hypothesis was
 that large rafts of dislodged Nothofagus
 > > >  trees (due to
 tsunami or other massive flooding event) could
 > > >  have held some of
 their fruit above the ocean surface and
 > > >  rafted from
 Tasmania to New Zealand, where one or more  new
 > > >  species could
 evolve (due to founder effect).  This would
 > > >  be a relatively
 short rafting event compared to the much
 > > >  longer driftwood
 oceanic rafting that happened from South
 > > >  America to
 Tasmania: Barber, 1959, in the journal Nature;
 > > >  "Transport of
 Driftwood from South America to
 > > >  Tasmania". Is
 there other evidence that such dispersal
 > > >  of Nothofagus
 could have happened? Could certain insects,
 > > >  mosses, or other
 organisms have hitched a ride on such a
 > > >  Nothofagus raft?
 > > >
 > > >     
              --------------Ken
 Kinman
 > > >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108385.html
 > > > 
 _______________________________________________
 > > >  Taxacom Mailing
 List
 > > >  Send
 > > >  Taxacom mailing
 list submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > > >
 > > >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > >  The Taxacom
 Archive back to 1992 may be
 > > >  searched at: http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > > >  To subscribe or
 unsubscribe via the Web, visit:
 > > >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > >  You can reach the
 person managing the list at:
 > > >  taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > > >
 > > >  Nurturing Nuance
 while
 > > >  Assaulting
 Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 > > >
 > > >
 _______________________________________________
 > > > Taxacom Mailing List
 > > > Send Taxacom mailing
 list submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > > >
 > > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > > The Taxacom Archive back
 to 1992 may be searched at:
 > > > http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > > > To subscribe or
 unsubscribe via the Web, visit:
 > > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > > You can reach the person
 managing the list at:
 > > > taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > > >
 > > > Nurturing Nuance while
 Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years,
 > 1987-2018.
 > > >
 > >
 _______________________________________________
 > > Taxacom Mailing List
 > > Send Taxacom mailing list
 submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >
 > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > The Taxacom Archive back to
 1992 may be searched at:
 > > http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > > To subscribe or unsubscribe
 via the Web, visit:
 > > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > > You can reach the person
 managing the list at:
 > > taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >
 > > Nurturing Nuance while
 Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 > >
 >
 >
 >
 > --
 > -So many mites, so little time!
 > Barry M. OConnor
 > Professor  & Curator
 > Department of Ecology &
 Evolutionary Biology
 > Research Museums Center
 > University of Michigan 
                
 phone: 734-763-4354
 > 3600 Varsity Drive   
                
      fax: 734-763-4080
 > Ann Arbor, MI 48108-2228 
         e-mail: bmoc at umich.edu
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > Message: 9
 > Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2018 11:17:29
 -0400
 > From: John Grehan <calabar.john at gmail.com>
 > To: Barry OConnor <bmoc at umich.edu>
 > Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > Subject: Re: [Taxacom]
 Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 >        
 Nothofagus species
 > Message-ID:
 >        
 <CADN0ud30i3CatTHDK5s4K1qS=VMZuyEg=iWST2NPO-4jCzdD0Q@
 > mail.gmail.com>
 > Content-Type: text/plain;
 charset="UTF-8"
 >
 > There is not doubt that some
 organism drift around, either frequently or
 > infrequently. But its a big leap
 to just say this is how endemic taxa arise
 > in different locations. Bit like
 when Darwin found that snails (or seeds, I
 > forget which) could survive for
 considerable time in seawater and therefore
 > they did and this was sufficient
 to explain disjunctive origins. Chance
 > dispersal has been widely promoted
 under molecular clock theory but its a
 > chimera resulting from the
 misrepresentation of molecular dating. Chance
 > dispersal continues to hold a very
 visceral appeal for evolutionary
 > biologists and perhaps this is not
 so surprising as we see plants (or their
 > propagules) and animals drifting
 about every day. But its the kind of
 > reasoning that gives a bad name to
 the science of evolution.
 >
 > John Grehan
 >
 > On Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at 11:02 AM,
 Barry OConnor <bmoc at umich.edu>
 wrote:
 >
 > > A mite originally described
 from beach wrack in the Russian far east
 > > turned up in beach wrack on
 the Oregon coast after the big Japanese
 > > earthquake/tsunami. Could
 have always been there, just never discovered
 > > until later. Given all the
 Asian stuff found on beaches in the Pacific
 > > northwest after the tsunami,
 either way it's a possibility that its
 > > distribution was affected by
 tsunamis at some point. As John points out,
 > > however, neither scenario is
 testable without historical data, which is
 > > absent.
 > > All the best! - Barry
 > >
 > > On Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at 10:46
 AM, John Grehan <calabar.john at gmail.com>
 > > wrote:
 > >
 > >> Ken,
 > >>
 > >> Its not a testable notion
 in any real sense any more than attributing
 > the
 > >> connection to UFO's.
 Further, it is not an 'odd' distribution, but one
 > >> that
 > >> is very even (meaning
 standard). One can invoke any number of imaginary
 > >> events to toss plants and
 animals from one side of the Tasman to the
 > >> other,
 > >> or even just place them
 there by an Act of God, but there is no
 > empirical
 > >> imperative to do so for
 this any more than imagining a tsunami to toss
 > >> frogs from Vancouver to
 New Zealand.
 > >>
 > >> John Grehan
 > >>
 > >> On Sun, Jun 3, 2018 at
 8:38 AM, Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > >> wrote:
 > >>
 > >> > Hi Stephen,
 > >> >
 > >> >      
 But it could be somewhat scientifically testable if some
 > organisms
 > >> > (mostly likely
 insects) have the same odd distribution in New Zealand
 > >> and
 > >> > Tasmania (or
 adjacent Australia).  So I am hoping that some
 > entomologist
 > >> > might know of
 insects that fit the bill.  And if there were more
 than
 > >> one
 > >> > such organism, the
 more likely this dispersal scenario would become.
 > >> >
 > >> >     
   And note that I cited two different Nothofagus
 species groups
 > >> with
 > >> > the same odd
 distribution (one in subgenus Lophozonia and the other in
 > >> > subgenus
 Fuscospora).  And those two dispersals could have
 happened at
 > >> > different
 times.  So that already increases the probability of
 > >> dispersal.
 > >> > Anyway, at least
 Fred understood what I was suggesting:
 > >> > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-December/108388.html
 > >> >
 > >> >
 > >> >
 -----------------Ken
 > >> >
 > >> >
 ________________________________
 > >> > From: Stephen Thorpe
 <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>
 > >> > Sent: Saturday, June
 2, 2018 8:59 PM
 > >> > To: Kenneth Kinman
 > >> > Cc: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >> > Subject: Re:
 [Taxacom] Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 > >> > Nothofagus species
 > >> >
 > >> > "Could certain
 insects, mosses, or other organisms have hitched a ride
 > >> on
 > >> > such a Nothofagus
 raft?"
 > >> >
 > >> > Impossible to rule
 out just about anything that doesn't constantly
 > >> require
 > >> > running freshwater.
 If it happened during summer, there could be a
 > >> > desiccating effect,
 but at other times the amount of freshwater
 > dampness
 > >> > could remain at
 acceptable levels.
 > >> >
 > >> > The problem though,
 as I see it, is that these dispersion events are
 > >> > entirely random and
 unpredictable, so it is hard to base much in the
 > >> way of
 > >> > science on it.
 > >> >
 > >> > Stephen
 > >> >
 > >> >
 --------------------------------------------
 > >> > On Sun, 3/6/18,
 Kenneth Kinman <kinman at hotmail.com>
 wrote:
 > >> >
 > >> >  Subject:
 [Taxacom] Long-distance oceanic dispersal (rafting) of
 > >> > Nothofagus 
     species
 > >> >  To: "Kenneth
 Kinman" <kinman at hotmail.com>
 > >> >  Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu"
 <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 > >> >  Received:
 Sunday, 3 June, 2018, 1:51 PM
 > >> >
 > >> >  Hi all,
 > >> >
 > >> >  The recent
 thread got me thinking about a debate that some
 > >> >  of us were
 having on taxacom almost 12 years ago.  Namely
 > >> >  whether
 long-distance oceanic dispersal (by rafting) was a
 > >> >  significant
 factor in the geographic distribution of some
 > >> >  species of
 Nothofagus (sensu lato).
 > >> >
 > >> >   My hypothesis
 was that large rafts of dislodged Nothofagus
 > >> >  trees (due to
 tsunami or other massive flooding event) could
 > >> >  have held some
 of their fruit above the ocean surface and
 > >> >  rafted from
 Tasmania to New Zealand, where one or more  new
 > >> >  species could
 evolve (due to founder effect).  This would
 > >> >  be a
 relatively short rafting event compared to the much
 > >> >  longer
 driftwood oceanic rafting that happened from South
 > >> >  America to
 Tasmania: Barber, 1959, in the journal Nature;
 > >> >  "Transport of
 Driftwood from South America to
 > >> >  Tasmania". Is
 there other evidence that such dispersal
 > >> >  of Nothofagus
 could have happened? Could certain insects,
 > >> >  mosses, or
 other organisms have hitched a ride on such a
 > >> >  Nothofagus
 raft?
 > >> >
 > >> >     
              --------------Ken
 Kinman
 > >> >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom/2006-
 > December/108385.html
 > >> > 
 _______________________________________________
 > >> >  Taxacom
 Mailing List
 > >> >  Send
 > >> >  Taxacom
 mailing list submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >> >
 > >> >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > >> >  The Taxacom
 Archive back to 1992 may be
 > >> >  searched at:
 http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > >> >  To subscribe
 or unsubscribe via the Web, visit:
 > >> >  http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > >> >  You can reach
 the person managing the list at:
 > >> >  taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >> >
 > >> >  Nurturing
 Nuance while
 > >> >  Assaulting
 Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 > >> >
 > >> >
 _______________________________________________
 > >> > Taxacom Mailing
 List
 > >> > Send Taxacom mailing
 list submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >> >
 > >> > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > >> > The Taxacom Archive
 back to 1992 may be searched at:
 > >> > http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > >> > To subscribe or
 unsubscribe via the Web, visit:
 > >> > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > >> > You can reach the
 person managing the list at:
 > >> > taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >> >
 > >> > Nurturing Nuance
 while Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years,
 > >> 1987-2018.
 > >> >
 > >>
 _______________________________________________
 > >> Taxacom Mailing List
 > >> Send Taxacom mailing list
 submissions to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >>
 > >> http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > >> The Taxacom Archive back
 to 1992 may be searched at:
 > >> http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > >> To subscribe or
 unsubscribe via the Web, visit:
 > >> http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > >> You can reach the person
 managing the list at:
 > >> taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > >>
 > >> Nurturing Nuance while
 Assaulting Ambiguity for 31 Some Years,
 > 1987-2018.
 > >>
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > > --
 > > -So many mites, so little
 time!
 > > Barry M. OConnor
 > > Professor  &
 Curator
 > > Department of Ecology &
 Evolutionary Biology
 > > Research Museums Center
 > > University of Michigan 
                
 phone: 734-763-4354
 > > 3600 Varsity Drive
 > > <https://maps.google.com/?q=3600+Varsity+Drive&entry=gmail&source=g>
 > >       
             fax: 734-763-4080
 > > Ann Arbor, MI
 48108-2228          e-mail: bmoc at umich.edu
 > >
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > Subject: Digest Footer
 >
 > Taxacom Mailing List
 > Send Taxacom mailing list
 submissions to taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > The Taxacom Archive back to 1992
 may be searched at:
 > http://taxacom.markmail.org
 > To subscribe or unsubscribe via
 the Web, visit:
 > http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 > You can reach the person managing
 the list at:
 > taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 >
 > Nurturing Nuance while Assaulting
 Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 >
 >
 > ------------------------------
 >
 > End of Taxacom Digest, Vol 146,
 Issue 3
 >
 ***************************************
 >
 _______________________________________________
 Taxacom Mailing List
 Send Taxacom mailing list submissions
 to: Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 
 http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 The Taxacom Archive back to 1992 may be
 searched at: http://taxacom.markmail.org
 To subscribe or unsubscribe via the
 Web, visit: http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 You can reach the person managing the
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 Nurturing Nuance while Assaulting
 Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.
 


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