Why Evolution is True: Ch. 1

I just started this book, i found it in Detroit airport and thought it looked very interesting.  I like books that are centered around nature and science, and i am not a huge fan of fiction.  this book was written by Jerry A. Coyne and he starts the book talking about nature being a well oiled machine with parts that work together.  In example he talks about the hummingbird and how it is suited to be able to reach down into flowers for nectar and i return the flower has adapted itself to release pollen onto the hummingbird who then pollinates the next flower without any idea that he had.  This annalogy reminds me of the Jack pine for some reason it is not a direct parrelelism but who cares.  the jack pine needs fire.  the cones of the jack pine are cerotinous (sp?) meaning they need extreme temperature (fire) to open. Fire needs lots of material to burn this hot and to be able to sweep through an area, as the jack pine wants.  the jack pine drops its lower branches to the ground and also when the needles die out on those branches  they become very dry and easily burnt.  these dry needles on the ground promote fire very well, which helps the fires move on the ground.  The dead, dry lower branches at the bottom of the tree help bring the fire to the top of the tree, this is the ladder effect.  i relize that the fire is not a living creature but the fire does rely on the jack pine tinder to be able to spread.  The jack pines need the fire in order to spread there seeds along the freshly burnt floor of the forest.  T.B.C.