DIFFERENTIAL SYSTEMATICS
DIFFERENTIAL SYSTEMATICS
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DOI：
10.1126/science.114.2961.315
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发表时间：
1951-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
56.9
通讯作者：
WOMBLE, WH
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
WOMBLE, WH
分类、任意和自然分类当然和语言一样古老，因为范畴是词汇的基础。从某种意义上说，它起源于反应生物。即使是变形虫，对不同的环境有不同的反应，有效地命令自己的世界。这样一种古老而普遍的活动，对原始的猎人和现代的城市居民都是至关重要的，应该发展成一种精确的技术。然而，对同一现象的不同研究者得出完全不兼容的分类法并不罕见，有时似乎更多地是根据作者的声誉而不是根据其与现实的近似程度来评估。观察科学仍然是建立在一种不完美的艺术之上的，经验主义则诉诸于一种新的权威主义。分类学偶尔会使大多数科学家感到困惑，但它却一直困扰着生物学家。因此，他对这个问题即使没有一个令人满意的解决办法，也已经完全熟悉了。在提出一种新的系统学方法时，我们将主要利用生命科学作为例证材料，尽管所要发展的原则也适用于其他领域。生物分类以物种概念为中心，因为有几个概念。根据迈尔（1）的观点：“物种是实际上或潜在地杂交的自然种群的群体，它们在生殖上与其他这样的群体隔离。“虽然这一定义只与当代的有性生殖形式有关，但它是以自然界中发现的繁殖模式为基础的，具有明显的理论优势。用形态差异的程度来区分物种的做法纯粹是武断的，杂种不育性的检验把许多不同的类型混在一起，这些类型通常是混合在一起而没有杂交，或者产生的杂种不足以进行自然竞争。在迈尔的生物学解释中，物种是基因相互作用的宇宙。在它们对不同的选择性环境的反应中，或者通过遗传漂变或突变而产生的分歧中，它们发展出识别特征，其中任何一种都可以作为诊断。然而，本质上，决定性的不是差异，而是促成差异的机制。通过他们的繁殖习惯和潜力，当代有性物种是自然的，自我定义的类。
CLA8SSIICATION, ARBITRY AND NATURAL C LASSIFICATION is certainly as old as language, for categories are basic to vocabulary. In a sense it originated with reacting organisms. Even the ameba, responding differentially to a varied environment, effectively orders its own world. Surely so ancient and universal an activity, vital alike to primitive hunter and modern urbanite, should have been developed to a precise technique. Yet it is not uncommon for different students of the same phenomena to arrive at altogether incom-patible taxonomies, which at times seem to be evaluated more by the reputations of their authors than on their approximation to reality. Observational science still is founded on an imperfect art. Empiricism appeals to a new authoritarianism. Taxonomy occasionally perplexes most scientists, but it persistently harasses the biologist. Consequently, he has acquired a thorough familiarity with the problem, if not a satisfactory solution of it. In pre-senting a new approach to systematics, we shall draw largely on life sciences for illustrative materials, al-though the principles to be developed are applicable to other fields as well.Biologic classification pivots on the species concept-or concepts, since there are several. According to Mayr (1):" Species are groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations, which are reproductively isolated from other such groups." Although relevant only to contemporary, sexually reproducing forms, this definition, based on breeding patterns as found in nature, possesses clear theoretical advantages. The practice of distinguishing species by degree of morphological difference is purely arbitrary, and the test of hybrid sterility lumps together many diverse types that normally intermingle without inter-breeding, or produce hybrids inadequate to natural competition. In Mayr's biologic interpretation, species are genetically interacting universes. In their response to differing selective environments, or theirdivergence through genetic drift or mutation, they develop dis-tinguishing traits, any of which may serve as diagnostics. Yet, essentially, it is not the differences, but the mechanisms facilitating them, that are definitive. Through their reproduction habits and potentials, contemporary sexual species are natural, self-defining classes.