Week 2 Flashcards
Why is evolution considered a core unifying principle in biology?
All life is a result of evolution.
Give several examples that show the relevance of evolution in everyday life.
Examples should be representative of different fields or industries.
The power of selective breeding and artificial selection shown in canids (wolves and dogs), pigeons, and crops (wild mustard forming brassicas)
On the other hand, in medicine and human science, the rapid evolution of bacterial drug resistance to antibiotics poses a major threat to human and other animal health.
Understandings and misunderstandings of evolution are also relevant to the field of politics. These people make decisions on food breeding funding, accessibility of anti-biotics, etc.
Give at least two examples of patterns defined as ‘evolution’
- Change of vehicle models over time
- advancement of a sports team over time
Define evolution in its biological sense
Change over time in the proportion of individual organisms (within a population) differing genetically in one or more traits.
In other words, genetic change across time
Articulate what evolution is and is not.
In other words, dispel myths regarding evolution, due to misunderstanding.
Evolution is not a progression towards some ‘ideal’ form. Evolution is not goal-oriented and it has no peak ending.
Evolution is adaptation to the environment, so no form resulting from evolution is perfect for every environment.
This imagery is a common misconception for evolution.
Evolution does not have a purpose (although this does not mean that evolution has no function).
Evolution is the gradual diversification of life forms typically produced as natural selection acts on heritable variation and populations become adapted tp their environment.
Define scientific theory and describe how evolution is an example of such a theory.
A scientific theory is a comprehensive, coherent body of interconnected statements, based on reasoning and evidence, that explains some aspect of nature–usually many aspects.
Evolution is a theory based observations of similarities and differences between and within species presently and historically. This theory explains every aspect of biology
Give two examples of scientific journals that publish evolution research.
(1) Science
(2) Nature
How did Darwin define evolution?
Descent with modification
What major factors contributed to Darwin’s development of ideas?
(People, observations, and events?
(1) Plato and Aristotle’s theories of change and form of species were the basis of the development of evolutionary thought.
(2) Categorization of life was further developed through Carolus Linneaus and his Systema Naturae.
(3) George Cuvier then went to contribute the concept of extinction, which is a crucial component of evolutionary theory.
(4) James Hutton and his theory of Uniformitarianism contributed this idea of natural processes that operate through endless temporal scales.
(4) This theory was popularized by
Charles Lyell and influenced Darwin with his Principles of Geology.
(5) Lamarck’s theory of transformism also played a role in the development of Darwin’s theory of evolution by proposing this idea of change of species for better survival.
(6) Darwin had a very privileged life that allowed him to pursue his passions and go on expeditions that inspired the Origin of Species. He came from a wealthy family of physicians, went to Cambridge, and accompanied Capt. Robert Fitzroy on the H.M.S. Beagle in 1831 at the age of only 22.
(7) The Voyage of the Beagle provided the evidence for the Origin of Species. Darwin experienced an earthquake in Chile (Uniformitarianism) and the biodiversity and variation of the Galapagos islands (tortoises, finches).
(8) Maltheus’ model of human population growth and theory of Malthusian catastrophe
What key event in evolutionary thought occurred in 1859?
Darwin published the Origin of Species
Describe the significance of the Voyage of the Beagle.
Define Platonic Idealism.
A philosophical view that there is an ideal form (of a species) that is imperfectly represented by earthly representations.
Ideal forms can be perceived only through intellect and contemplation.
Define Aristotle’s essentialism.
A philosophical view that all members of a class of objects (species) share certain invariant, unchanging properties that distinguish them from other classes. This gave rise to Scala naturae or the Great Chain of Being.
Thus, forming this hierarchy in biology, not only trying to group alike things, but trying to categorize or order them.
Who established the Systema Naturae (1735) and what is it?
Carolus Linneaus established the framework of modern taxonomy in Systema Naturae in 1735.
Its purpose was to understand the pattern of God’s creation through exhaustive taxonomic survey of plants and animals.
Who was George Cuvier and why is he important?
Define catastrophism.
Known as the Father of modern paleontology, Cuvier advanced fields of zoology and paleontology by comparing extant and extinct species (ex. elephants and mammoths) to first articulate the concept of extinction.Thus, giving rise to catastrophism.
Catastrophism: species created after catastrophic extinction events
Who is James Hutton and what is Uniformitarianism?
What role did Charles Lyell play?
James Hutton was a Scottish farmer and geologist studied the volcanic upwelling rock formations which were eroded by water. He studied these ongoing processes.
He determined that natural processes that operated int he past are the same as in the present, coined Uniformitarianism.
This theory was popularized by Charles Lyell, who had a major influence on Darwin/
Describe Jean-Baptiste Lamarck’s theory of acquired inheritance.
(Lamarckism or transformism)
Lamarck believed that characteristics could be acquired as needed by a ‘nervous fluid’ that moved through the body to areas in need of change. He also believed that these acquired traits were heritable.
The famous example used is the lengthening of a giraffes neck to reach the leaves at the tops of trees.
Did George Cuvier agree with Lamarck?
No, Cuvier dismissed Lamarck’s claims.
What three old white guys were the most influential to Darwin?
Lamarck
Lyell
Malthus
Who was Thomas Malthus and why is he important?
Malthus wrote “An Essay on the Principle of Population” (1798) which argued that human population growth is greater than the rate of increase in food supply.
This would later relate to Darwin’s theory of natural selection and the survival of the fittest.
In Maltheus’ model, what limits human population growth, leading to crisis (Malthusian catastrophe)?
Food supply
