There is no ecological benefit to have different sized ants. So why are there different sizes? And I'm not talking about child and adult ants--I'm talking about different types of ants altogether.
Philosophical and ecological answers both accepted.
2006-06-11 09:33:40 · 10 answers · asked by bam 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
There are indeed ecological benefits of various creatures, but it is not about the benefits of the ecology it is about the benefit of the organism.
Evolution holds that; if an organism is develops traits that betters it's chance of survival, then those traits are more likely to be presented in future generations of that organism. Ants have evolved many different breeds; some have eyes, some do not, some are scavengers, some are predators etc. ants living in Africa are bigger, probably because of the environment. In that the environment does not provide much in the scavengery department; making it harder for smaller less capable ants to survive by picking up bread crumbs. Instead, larger predatory ants have survived, because they were better suited to the environment. It is also believed that organisms grow in proportion to the availability of their niche. Pygmy elephants, and humans were found on a small island, making is likely that mammals grow smaller according to their physical environment, whereas on the same island there were super sized reptiles, but there were very few of them. This suggests that reptiles grow in proportion to competition density. Insects...well I have not heard very much on their proportional growths, but I am willing to bet that it is also according to their environment.
2006-06-11 10:04:20 · answer #1 · answered by mike 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I guess because millions of years ago ants were once very dominant. So, there were very large ants that came from one region and small ants from another. So, big ants would be in the rain forest area and the small ants in the desert areas. I dunno, I tried to sound smart, but that made no sense. Okay, just like they're different types of people, (like skin colors and different characteristics that are only for certain races) it's probably more like that, and where those ants originally came from.
2006-06-11 09:39:09 · answer #2 · answered by Fangirl ♥♥ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You answered your own Q. It's the ecological atmosphere and specific breed of ant that makes them unique. AS IN: Why are there so many different people in the world? Big and small..............red, black, white, etc. We all serve a purpose in our own unique way. Humans, plants, animals, insects.
2006-06-11 12:32:35 · answer #3 · answered by angel_browneyes_59 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Differentiation is vital to natural selection and survival in nature.
There's no perceived benefit to having genes which produce sickle cell anemia, until malaria decimates the population. The ones with recessive genes survive since that phenotype resists malaria, and continue to reproduce people that have a 25% chance of having the dominant trait, which is sickle cell anemia.
2006-06-11 09:58:28 · answer #4 · answered by -.- 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same reason there are big cats and small cats. They adapt in different areas and for different reasons to their surroundings. Take an entomology class; I'm sure they explain it.
2006-06-11 09:37:05 · answer #5 · answered by cynicusprime 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, why are some people taller then other?? That's just how the universe is balanced honey. There will always be some big and some small.
2006-06-11 09:36:38 · answer #6 · answered by Girly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is always a bigger ant.
2006-06-11 10:04:35 · answer #7 · answered by Dee_Dee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if we agreed to leave out practical sciences.my answer would be.variety gives you better odds
2006-06-11 09:43:45 · answer #8 · answered by khalid himmo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the big ones are on steds
2006-06-11 09:42:29 · answer #9 · answered by Callum_601 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why are there small people and big people?
2006-06-11 09:35:34 · answer #10 · answered by tmac 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋