Biogeography and geological evidence etc.

[Frederick W. Schueler]

john grehan wrote:

> The example with the Galapagos was a biogeographic pattern as an
> empirical observation informing a geological conjecture.

* I wonder, without evaluating the merits of any particular approach or
example, if one cause of misunderstanding between pan- and nonpan-
biogeographers isn't what one might call the different levels off
synthesis. Pans want to construct purely distributional scenerios, in
order to to be able to say what's purely biogeographic, and test these
for agreement with the rest of earth history at the level of
agreement/disagreement between scenerios based on data from different
fields, while nonpans don't care so much if their biogeographic
scenerios contain non-distributional (e.g. geological) elements, and
test these directly against individual 'facts' of various kinds.

Individual temperment, as well as availablitiy of data, may infuence
which approach is more productive in particular situations, and each has
its particular perils (as in any formal vs eclectic choice of method),
but maybe neither is necessarily more appropriate or 'scientific...'

fred.
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