44 Questions
What did Dr. Jamie Gillooly emphasize about evolution?
We are constantly learning more about evolution and important discoveries occur frequently
What is the foundation of all biology according to the text?
Evolution
What does biological (or organic) evolution refer to according to Charles Darwin?
Descent of modern organisms with modification from pre-existing life forms
What is the etymological meaning of the word 'evolution'?
The process of unrolling and a state or condition of being
What types of evolution are mentioned as interrelated in the text?
Biological, geological, technological, business, and cultural evolution
What is the focus of Dr. Jamie Gillooly's work?
Effects of temperature on metabolism
What did Gregor Mendel's theory of heredity identify?
Discrete, heritable factors
What is the basis of heredity according to the molecular era?
DNA
What does the term 'Neo-Darwinism' incorporate into Darwin's theory of evolution?
Population genetics and mathematical models of evolution
According to Dr. Gillooly, what determines what traits are adaptive?
The environment
What did Lamarck's theory of acquired characteristics propose?
Acquired characteristics can be passed on to future generations
What did the 'modern synthesis' (Neo-Darwinism) add to Darwin's theory of evolution?
Population genetics and mathematical models of evolution
What did Theodosius Dobzhansky emphasize the importance of?
Evolution in understanding biology
Which mechanism is NOT mentioned as a mechanism of evolution?
Random selection
What does evolution help in understanding and predicting the effects of?
Climate change on species and evolution
What does the selection act on, leading to genetic changes in a population?
Individual's phenotype
What does evolutionary theory encompass?
Understanding of the processes of evolution and their application to biological problems
What does studying evolution help in understanding?
The diversity of life, including animal adaptations
What was the title of Wallace's essay?
On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely from the Original Type
What did Darwin conclude about the 13 finch species in the Galapagos Islands?
They probably evolved from a single ancestral species from South America, each with adaptations for specific niches
What was Darwin's initial career pursuit?
Medicine
What did Darwin enjoy tasting during his expedition?
Wild iguanas and tortoises
What is the definition of organic (or biological) evolution?
Descent with modification
What did Darwin's theory of natural selection reject?
Lamarckian inheritance of acquired characteristics
Who developed a theory of evolutionary adaptation by studying Galapagos finches?
Charles Darwin
In which year did Charles Darwin publish his book 'The Origin of Species'?
1859
Who co-published a theory of natural selection with Charles Darwin in 1858?
Alfred R. Wallace
Which historical figure believed in a divine order and rejected evolution?
Carolus Linnaeus
What type of evidence supporting evolution includes similarities and differences between body plans and body parts of different animal groups?
Comparative morphology
What did the theory of natural selection precede?
Mounting evidence supporting evolution
Descent with modification refers to the evolution of living things from pre-existing life forms according to Charles Darwin.
True
Acquired characteristics cannot be passed on to future generations according to Lamarck's theory.
False
The modern synthesis, or Neo-Darwinism, added population genetics and mathematical models of evolution to Darwin's theory.
True
The molecular era began in the mid-1990s and focused on the discovery of DNA as the basis of heredity.
True
Populations, not individuals, evolve over multiple generations according to the theory of evolution.
True
Dr. Gillooly emphasized that natural selection acts on individuals, while evolution acts on populations.
True
Gregor Mendel developed his theory of heredity in the 1860s and identified discrete, heritable factors called genes.
True
The environment determines what traits are adaptive, and environments change over time according to the text.
True
The era of genomics, which began in the 1990s, consists of the mapping of genomes, the rapid sequencing of genes, and the creation of molecular phylogenies.
True
Darwin's theory of natural selection rejected the idea of a divine order and instead proposed the idea of descent with modification.
True
According to Charles Darwin, biological (or organic) evolution refers to 'the descent of modern organisms with modification from pre-existing life forms,' which we sometimes shorten to '_______ with modification'
descent
Dr. Gillooly pointed out that Darwin was mocked and ridiculed for his beliefs. When he died, he had no idea that he would be widely regarded in a largely positive light as the 'Father of _______'
Evolution
Neo-Darwinism is an updated version of Darwin’s theory of evolution which incorporates both natural selection and also the role of _______ in evolution
genetics
According to Charles Darwin, biological (or organic) evolution (the evolution of living things) refers to 'descent with _____________.
modification
Study Notes
The Theory of Evolution and its Historical Background
- In science, the word "theory" refers to a large body of work that underlies the basic understanding of a scientific phenomenon, such as the theory of evolution.
- The theory of evolution refers to the totality of our understanding about the mechanisms of evolution and has been thoroughly tested and widely accepted as valid.
- Historically, ancient Greeks, including Aristotle, and Judeo-Christians believed that species were fixed and did not change, while Carolus Linnaeus believed in a divine order and rejected evolution.
- The theory of natural selection was preceded by mounting evidence supporting evolution and refuting the traditional viewpoint that species were fixed and did not evolve.
- Evidence supporting evolution includes biogeography, comparative morphology, and geological discoveries.
- Biogeography evidence includes the discovery of species with similar forms in different regions and the development of similar traits in organisms due to similar environmental pressures (convergent evolution).
- Comparative morphology evidence includes similarities and differences between body plans and body parts of different animal groups, such as homologous structures and vestigial features.
- Geological discoveries, such as fossil layers and gradual geological changes proposed by James Hutton and Charles Lyell, also pointed toward a relationship between different animals.
- Charles Darwin developed a theory of evolutionary adaptation by studying Galapagos finches and correlating variations in traits with environmental challenges.
- In the 1830s and 1840s, Darwin developed a theory of natural selection, which he co-published with Alfred R. Wallace in 1858.
- The breakthrough that changed the world came in 1859, when Darwin published his book "The Origin of Species," which introduced the theory of evolution to the public.
- Alfred R. Wallace independently developed a similar theory of natural selection and co-published it with Darwin in 1858.
Test your knowledge of the theory of evolution and its historical background with this quiz. Explore the key concepts, historical figures, and evidence supporting evolution, including biogeography, comparative morphology, and geological discoveries. Learn about the contributions of Charles Darwin and Alfred R. Wallace to the development of the theory of natural selection and the groundbreaking impact of Darwin's book "The Origin of Species."
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