tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15194226.post3958826645251828613..comments2024-03-08T01:24:09.884-07:00Comments on Matt's Sci/Tech Blog: The brain of the mammothMatt Billehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18230930494550861704noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15194226.post-67352483606906512732014-11-27T02:10:45.325-07:002014-11-27T02:10:45.325-07:00I think that one has to explain the general presen...I think that one has to explain the general presence of giantism during the Pleistocene. There must be a general cause since it was the rule, and Bergman's Rule was not it. I suggest that it is much more likely to have been a warmer climate than we have at present, rather than a colder climate, that caused the giantism. For example, when the Irish Red Deer were introduced to New Zealand during the 19th century they quickly grew to 50% larger than they had been thanks to the abundance of fodder. In a warmer world there would be more abundant plant life that would tend to produce the giantism.Laurence Clark Crossenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15908708438427333473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15194226.post-4867775966163448062014-11-26T07:36:19.875-07:002014-11-26T07:36:19.875-07:00Just as there are different ways to adapt to tempe...Just as there are different ways to adapt to temperature, there are different reasons to become huge. Ask Argentinosaurus, for which I assume giantism was basically a strategy to avoid predators. But you may be complicating things too much. There are many ways to adapt to cold temps, but being big and hairy may have been the mammoth's way. Matt Billehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18230930494550861704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15194226.post-81594625396555621632014-11-21T02:50:20.695-07:002014-11-21T02:50:20.695-07:00By "all climates" I meant all climate zo...By "all climates" I meant all climate zones, such as Tropical, Temperate, Arctic or the twelve climate types, Subartic, etc.Laurence Clark Crossenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15908708438427333473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15194226.post-43608044604280119212014-11-21T02:47:03.024-07:002014-11-21T02:47:03.024-07:00Correct. Then you are saying the mammoths could ha...Correct. Then you are saying the mammoths could have been cold adapted by some other means. There are obviously many means to do so. The question is, if Bergman's Rule does not explain End Pleistocene giantism, then what does? Bergman's Rule cannot explain it because it takes place in all climates.Laurence Clark Crossenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15908708438427333473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15194226.post-11502308172811957162014-11-20T15:44:15.365-07:002014-11-20T15:44:15.365-07:00I don't think Bergman's Rule is without ex...I don't think Bergman's Rule is without exceptions. There are other ways to adapt to temperature besides size.Matt Billehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18230930494550861704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15194226.post-47214320345578007952014-11-16T14:53:13.451-07:002014-11-16T14:53:13.451-07:00The Imperial or Columbian mammoths were exceptiona...The Imperial or Columbian mammoths were exceptionally large but had a more southerly distribution.Laurence Clark Crossenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15908708438427333473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15194226.post-23376023125996384612014-11-16T11:47:32.764-07:002014-11-16T11:47:32.764-07:00If Bergman's rule was the cause, then the mamm...If Bergman's rule was the cause, then the mammoth's in the north should have been larger than the mammoths in the south and larger than the present day elephants in the south. They were not.Laurence Clark Crossenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15908708438427333473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15194226.post-70344257164273907182014-11-16T11:44:34.402-07:002014-11-16T11:44:34.402-07:00How can Bergman’s Rule explain End Pleistocene gia...How can Bergman’s Rule explain End Pleistocene giantism when the mammoths in the far north were no bigger than present day elephants? It cannot. Bergman’s rule must be a trivial factor that cannot account for more than a small fraction of that giantism.Laurence Clark Crossenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15908708438427333473noreply@blogger.com