Lecture 2: Development of evolutionary thought Flashcards
Who thought that “Genera and species are all natural” and that organisms can be organized?
Carolus Linnaeus
Who thought that “the earth was gradually shaped by processes still observable today?”
Sir Charles Lyell
Who thought that “species can change over time, giving rise to new species”?
Jean-Baptiste Lemarck
What was the transformation theory and what were the key concepts?
The transformation theory was that evolution was a linear process.
1. Complexifying force
2. Adaptive Force
What did Charles Darwin discover when he went to the Gualopos and saw the finches?
That the finches’ beaks tweaked to fit their ecological needs.
What is descent modification and who came up with it?
Charles Darwin came up with it. Descent modification is that all present organisms are related through descent from unknown ancestors in the past.
What did Alfred Wallace best know for with evolution?
He conceived the theory of evolution through natural selection
What is the Wallace line?
It a imaginary boundary Wallace discovered that separated the biogeographical realms of Asia and Wallecea ( an island nearby). He discovered that certain species stopped at certain points.
What is descriptive science?
It involves quantitative research methods mostly focused on observing, and classifying phenomenas.
What four points helped prove natural selection?
- There is competition for limited resources (Malthus)
- There is variation within species
- Some variation is related to fitness
- Some of this variation is heritable
What did natural selection help prove?
Evolution
