New rules for Evolution?

So, once they have filled the entire niche of available space, what happens next?

I think it's back to survival of the fittest at that point.

I think what they are observing is an unusual dispersal of genes which is driven by proximity (between toads) more than by survival.

In a population which isn't throttled by "survival" in whatever form (food resources or predation or whatever), uneven distribution of genes in the population begins to be driven by "other" forces, proximity being one.

Makes preadaptation and epigenetics more of a real thing,(IMHO). I dont know **** about this but Im just giving my opinion.

Also, everything in AUstralia, pretty much winds up looking like a kangaroo. Wait about 100 more generations of these things, theylle have huge back legs. Are they poisonous to eat? If not, I propose a new dish for the Oz cuisine.

Hey FM - emus, wombats, platypii, Tasmanian Devils, echidnas don't look anything like kangaroos. And cane toads skins are poisonous (not to mention gross) - however I've seen kookaburra's adapt a strategy for predation of cane toads. They beat the crap out of them against fences, pierce their stomachs and eat their innards, leaving the skin. I'm at a loss how they figured that out, and how that meme is passed onto other kookaburras, but it is fascinating.

Life will find a way.

Joe (if not, lights out.)Nation

Hey Joe

I should mention that quite a few dogs have figured out that they can get high licking cane toads. True.

So the hinge addendum to your truism is

Life will find a way to get off its face.

How do introduced plants feed into this idea? Australia had a few go nutso - prickly pear half a century ago, these day mimosa pigra is spreading 'like a weed' but weeds aren't motile and I doubt that mimosa pigra's seeds are any 'faster' than any other plants.

Tell us about the rabbits (and Lysenkoism), George.

I like the kukabura (sp) story. Buzzards can also feed on toxic carrion and not be affected, maybe its something that scavengers have in their gut.

EPigenetics is giving a little creedence to Lamarck once again. Some needs for research to better understand how "Acquired characteristics " are actually transmitted for several generations.

go kookaburras. They have that hugeass piercing beak .

I wonder how the dingoes first found out that they could smoke the frogs like a dooby?