Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Darwin, natural selection and the biological essentiality of aluminium and silicon

2009; Elsevier BV; Volume: 34; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.tibs.2009.07.006

1362-4326

Christopher Exley,

Plant Micronutrient Interactions and Effects

If one was asked to produce a set of 'Trump Cards' based upon 'Forces of Nature Defining Life on Earth' then which card would be 'Top Trump'? I was recently chastised on the Darwin Today website for suggesting Darwin and 'natural selection' rather than, for example, Newton and 'gravity'. Although there is no denying the significance of gravity, my argument in favour of natural selection is simply that gravity is just one factor that contributes towards an outcome which ultimately is defined by natural selection. Both the beauty and the brilliance of natural selection are reflected in its omnipotence to explain the myriad observations of life and, as I will affirm herein, its explanation of the biological essentiality of aluminium and silicon is no exception.