Focusing on Dynamics: When a Rule Becomes an Exception

In this chapter, we look at the other side, the cases where the rules have become exceptions. The factors responsible for these changes are diverse. Let us consider, for example, those changes produced by nature itself, where certain characters, behaviors, and even interactions that were previously very common became rare or even disappeared; changes associated with climatic relics, relict species, up to major extinction events. Let us also think of the changes that humans have made in nature that are responsible for certain rules becoming exceptions, the effects of artificial selection, deforestation, species introduced into environments that are not natural, and of course the climate change in which we are major participants, to name just a few examples. Additionally, the changes from rules to exceptions can result from changes in scientific interpretations, such as biases in study approaches, biases in the choice of model species for research, and their general extrapolation of results without, in many cases, the necessary precautions, in addition to the biases in interpretations associated with the use of certain current equipment and methodologies.