Theorists Flashcards
What was Georges Cuvier’s area of study?
He studied comparative anatomy.
What was Cuvier’s theory called?
Catastrophism.
Explain the catastrophism theory.
Cuvier noticed that in the different layers of rock (strata) there were periods of time where no fossils were recorded. He believed these empty periods of time were due to mass extinction events.
What was Carl Linnaeus known for?
He was the father of taxonomy.
What was Linnaeus’ contribution to evolution?
He concluded that humans were like any other animal. He put humans in the animal kingdom. He also came up with binomial nomenclature.
What is binomial nomenclature?
It is a way to classify species based on their genus and their species. It is two words, the first is its genus and the second is their species. Humans are Homo sapiens
What is Charles Darwin known for?
He is known for being the first scientist to accurately explain evolution.
What was Darwins theory called?
His theory is called the Evolution of Natural Selection.
Explain natural selection.
Organisms that are more adapted to their environments will be more fit to survive and reproduce. Whereas organisms that are not as well adapted wont survive or reproduce. The offspring of these fit organisms would then inherit these traits that make them successful.
What is Charles Lyell’s theory called?
His theory is called Uniformitarianism.
Explain Lyell’s theory on Uniformitarianism.
The idea that earth has always changed in uniform ways and that the present is the key to the past.
What did Lyell argue?
He argued that gradual geological processes have gradually shaped Earths surface.
What was Jean-Baptiste Lamarck known for?
He was best known for his theory of “the inheritance of acquired characteristics.”
Explain Lamarck’s theory of the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
He claimed that organisms changed how they behaved in response to environmental change. This behaviour caused their organs to go through modification.
What did Lamarck believe compared to Charles Darwin’s theory?
Lamarck believed that extinction did not exist and that life progressed steadily upward from dead materials to more complex forms toward human perfection.
