Organic Evolution Flashcards
This is for Exam 2
Lamarck
1st scientist attempt at evolutionary hypothesis
What did he say?
Inheritance of acquired characteristics. Individuals acquire adaptations via intent during their lifetime. They pass traits off into the offspring and the traits are transformational.
Why is Lamarck wrong?
Genetic mutations allow for evolution and it occurs of a long period of time
Who is Lyell?
A geologist, who discovered/talked Uniformitarianism
Tell me about Uniformitarianism
- Laws of physics/chemistry constant
- Geological events past/present are equal
- Gradualism: long periods of time. (Hint: gradual)
Natural processes don’t have a goal.
What did Malthus say?
He said there is a tendency of plants/animals to overrun the capacity of the environment
So what does it mean if an eviroment is overrun?
It means that there is competition in resources. The better adapted get the resources.
Charles Darwin
He was a broadly trained scientist and had went to the Galapagos Islands. He realized there diversity of forms evolved from mainland forms.
On the origin of Species
A book wrote by Charles Darwin. Alfred Wallace Russell has equal credit for ideas Darwin had.
What are the five key hypothesis?
- Perpetual change
- Common descent. Closer relatives have more similar traits than distant.
- Speciation: always occurring
- Gradualism: small incremental changes in speciation
- Natural selection: mechanism of evolution
On number 4, what is punctuated equilibrium?
Gradual + spikes in speciation
Natural Selection:
Traits (genes) are selected for/against in a changing environment
Fossil Record:
Rocks/amber
Fossilization:
Lucky process; Incomplete records. Hard structures, survive, soft parts often left
Stratification:
Oldest at bottom
