I am confused by the whole adaptation, evolution, selective breeding thing
. There appears to have been a shift in the meaning of the words adaptation and evolution over the last twenty years or so - or more accurately, my understanding of the use of the words. Add to that gene selection and the whole subject is very confusing to my unprofessional little mind.
For example, I would suggest that the corn bunting is exactly the same species as the bird that was around in the Mesolithic - I presume, they could still breed. Yet I am told that the corn bunting is now a farmland bird that has
evolved to take advantage of farm crops. Surely, it is the same bird that finds it easier to feed off farm crops than to go find wild seed i.e. it has adapted to an easier food source. So, there is no such thing as farmland birds!
I am told that there are herds of African Elephant that have 'quickly' evolved with shorter less attractive (to poacher) tusks - rubbish I would suggest; they have just been reduced to a gene pool with shorter tusks - same species, no evolution. If they met a herd with long tusks they could interbreed and produce offspring with long or short tusks (and every length in between).
Excuse my ramblings - the discussions were just adding to my confusion