Structural Reduction in Evolution

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Abstract
While natural selection is recognized as the primary mechanism responsible for evolution, it is suggested that, where environmental change eliminates the selective advantage of a particular feature, the probable effect of accumulating random mutations will be the reduction of the feature in question, i.e. random genetic change produces non-random effects in the phenotype. Reduction of the human face during the Pleistocene is viewed as the result of the increasing efficiency of culture as an adaptive mechanism [long dash] tools taking over tasks formerly performed by the teeth. Contemporary differences in human skin pigmentation are viewed in like manner [long dash] clothing having taken over the protective task formerly performed by dermal melanin.

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