[Aztlan] THE BERINGIAN POPULATION AND THE FIRST AMERICANS

[D. Mylne]

There seemed to be a distinction in the reports, between "change" and "mutation".  
http://www.livescience.com/history/050525_america_settlers.html refers to "change over time", while 
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080213090524.htm
 refers to "when the mutations arose".
 
I have understood "mutation" to refer to a 'sudden change'.  If  "mutation" also refers to 'gradual change,' then I need terminology to distinguish between the two types of change.  A sudden change in a population would seem to be a different process and have more dramatic/catastrophic repercussions than a gradual change. A people could presumably adapt, gradually, to the gradual change.  A sudden change cannot be expected to always allow sufficient time for a population to adapt.  I accept gradual change, but mistrust mutations because, as you suggested, they are destructive at least as often as beneficial.  For me, gradual change is "simpler" and allows more time for all the changes necessary for population divergence.   Otherwise, a divergence of the type we see on both sides the Bering Strait depends too much on a series of sudden changes, each of which must be beneficial or at least able to be accommodated.  I guess I'm a "gradualist". :)On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:24:43 -0700, Scott Swanson wrote:> From: harview at montana.com> To: aztlan at lists.famsi.org> Subject: Re: [Aztlan] THE BERINGIAN POPULATION AND THE FIRST AMERICANS> > On Fri, Feb 15, 2008 at 07:08:58PM -0700, D. Mylne wrote: > > > > However, it seeems suppositional to claim there were> > "mutations" unless either this term is defined differently from how I> > have understood it, or concrete evidence of such mutations is> > available. > > > As I recall from long-ago biology courses, a mutation *means* a change> in genetic patterns; > 
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