Mechanisms of Evolution (ch 22-23) Flashcards
Who was Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778), and what did he develop?
Grouped similar species into increasingly general categories, reflecting what he considered the pattern of their creation. He developed both taxonomy and binomial nomenclature.
What is taxonomy? Who developed it?
the branch of biology dedicated to the naming and classification of all forms of life.
Carolus Linnaeus developed it.
What is binomial nomenclature? Who developed it?
a two-part naming system that includes the organism’s genus and species. Carolus Linnaeus developed it.
Who was Georges Cuvier (1769-1832) & what did believe in regards to evolution?
French geologist opposed to the idea of evolution. Advocated the principle that events in the past occurred suddenly, as with catastrophes, and by different mechanisms than those occurring today.
This explained boundaries between strata and location of different species.
Who was Charles Lyell (1797-1875) and what did he develop?
English geologist and friend of Charles Darwin.
He developed the idea that the geologic processes that have shaped the planet have been uniform over a long period of time and not by a series of catastrophes occurring over a short period of time.
What is the importance of Lyell’s idea of evolution?
The Earth must be very old. Lyell gave Darwin the gift of time; Darwin studied Lyell’s Principles of Geology during his journeys
What were the two principles of Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck’s (1744-1829) aka Lamarck early theory of evolution?
use & disuse and inheritance of acquired characteristics.
Lamarck recognized that species evolve and the match of organism to their environment occurs through gradual evolutionary change. His explanatory mechanism, however, was flawed.
use and disuse
the idea that parts of the body that are used extensively become larger and stronger, while those that are not used deteriorate (stupid Lamarck…)
inheritance of acquired characteristics
assumes that characteristics gained during an organism’s lifetime could be passed on to the next generation
Ex: weightlifter’s child could be born with a more muscular anatomy
HMS Beagle voyage
1831-1836
Charles Darwin’s voyage was impetus for the developmeent of his theory of evolution by natural selection
What was Darwin’s mechanism for evolution?
Lamarck’s mechanism?
natural selection
inheritance of acquired characteristics
Natural selection
explains how adaptations arise. Darwin’s mechanism for evolution.
adaptations
heritable characteristics that enhance organism’s ability to survive & rep. in specific environ.
Ex: Desert foxes have large ears, which radiate heat. Arctic foxes have small ears, which conserve body heat.
What are 4 important points of Darwin’s theory of natural selection?
- Individuals in a pop. vary in their traits, many of which are heritable
- A pop. can produce far more offspring than can survive. With more individuals than the environ. can support, competition is inevitable.
- Individuals with inherited traits that are better suited to the local environ. are more likely to survive & reproduce than individuals less well-suited. “differential reproductive success”
- Evolution occurs as the unequal rep. success of individuals ultimately leading to adaptations to their environ. Over time, natural selection can increase the match between organisms and their environ.
What language should you use/avoid when explaining evolution?
Avoid: anything that makes it sound like a species evolves because a species “needs” a feature
- survival of the fittest
Include: how selection favors a feature that results in leaving more offspring, since evolution is not goal oriented
