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Questions and Answers
What is evolution?
What is evolution?
Who developed the concept ofScala Naturae?
Who developed the concept ofScala Naturae?
What was the focus of natural theology from 1300s-1700s?
What was the focus of natural theology from 1300s-1700s?
Who is credited with the concept of gradualism?
Who is credited with the concept of gradualism?
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What is comparative morphology?
What is comparative morphology?
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Who is associated with the concept of catastrophism?
Who is associated with the concept of catastrophism?
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What is the term for the idea that the laws of geology have remained constant over time?
What is the term for the idea that the laws of geology have remained constant over time?
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Who is credited with the concept of inheritance of acquired characteristics?
Who is credited with the concept of inheritance of acquired characteristics?
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What is the primary mechanism by which advantageous characteristics become more common in a population?
What is the primary mechanism by which advantageous characteristics become more common in a population?
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What is the title of the book published by Charles Darwin in 1859 that introduced the concept of evolution through natural selection?
What is the title of the book published by Charles Darwin in 1859 that introduced the concept of evolution through natural selection?
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What is the term for the process by which a species adapts to its environment through the accumulation of small genetic changes over time?
What is the term for the process by which a species adapts to its environment through the accumulation of small genetic changes over time?
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Who is credited with the discovery of the fundamental principles of heredity?
Who is credited with the discovery of the fundamental principles of heredity?
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What is the period of time during which the modern synthesis of evolutionary biology was developed?
What is the period of time during which the modern synthesis of evolutionary biology was developed?
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What is the term for the scientific study of the history of life on Earth through the analysis of fossil evidence?
What is the term for the scientific study of the history of life on Earth through the analysis of fossil evidence?
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What is a common misconception about evolutionary theory?
What is a common misconception about evolutionary theory?
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What is the core theory of modern biology?
What is the core theory of modern biology?
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What is the main idea behind the concept of evolution?
What is the main idea behind the concept of evolution?
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Who is credited with the concept of artificial selection?
Who is credited with the concept of artificial selection?
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What is the main idea behind the struggle for survival?
What is the main idea behind the struggle for survival?
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What is the significance of the voyage of the Beagle in the history of evolutionary thought?
What is the significance of the voyage of the Beagle in the history of evolutionary thought?
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What is the main idea behind the observation that most organisms produce more than one or two offspring?
What is the main idea behind the observation that most organisms produce more than one or two offspring?
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What is the role of Thomas Malthus in the history of evolutionary thought?
What is the role of Thomas Malthus in the history of evolutionary thought?
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What is the main difference between evolution and the change of species over time?
What is the main difference between evolution and the change of species over time?
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What is the main idea behind the concept of natural selection?
What is the main idea behind the concept of natural selection?
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Study Notes
Evolution
- Evolution is a change in a population or species over time, and the idea that all forms of life are related and descended from shared ancestors.
History of Evolutionary Thought
- Pre-Darwin:
- Aristotle (350 AD): proposed a ladder of life (Scala Naturae) from simple to complex forms, with all characteristics fixed.
- Natural theology (1300s-1700s): cataloging and naming God's creation, with Linneaus developing taxonomy.
- Realization of evolutionary change (1500s-1700s): biogeography, comparative morphology, fossil record, and geological change.
- Pre-Darwin:
- Biogeography: recognizing that different regions have distinct species.
- Comparative morphology: studying similarities and differences between species.
- Fossil record: recognizing that fossils show a history of extinction and transformation.
- Geological change: recognizing that the Earth's surface has changed over time.
- Jean Baptiste de Lamarck (1800s): proposed mechanisms for evolutionary change, including:
- Species change through time.
- New characteristics are passed to the next generation.
- Change occurs in response to the environment.
- Specific mechanisms cause evolutionary change.
Darwin and Evolution
- Charles Darwin (1809-1882):
- Voyage of the Beagle (1831-1836): collected data on species and their variations.
- Realized that species change over time, but did not equate it with evolution.
- Artificial selection: recognizing that humans can select for desired traits.
- Struggle for survival: recognizing that individuals compete for limited resources.
- Observations and inferences: recognizing that populations do not increase indefinitely, and that individuals exhibit variability in many characteristics.
On the Origin of Species (1859)
- Natural selection: the process by which advantageous, heritable characteristics become more common.
- Descent with modification: the idea that species evolve over time through natural selection.
Post-Darwin
- Evidence of evolutionary change by natural selection:
- Adaptation by natural selection.
- The fossil record.
- Heredity (1866): Gregor Mendel's work on the inheritance of traits.
- The Modern Synthesis (1930s & 1940s): combining genetics and evolution, with key contributors including Ronald Fisher, JBS Haldane, and Sewall Wright.
- The molecular revolution: recognizing the role of DNA and genetics in evolution.
- Misinterpretation of Darwin's ideas:
- Humans did not evolve from chimpanzees or gorillas.
- Evolution is not goal-oriented.
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Description
Test your knowledge of evolutionary biology, covering the history of evolutionary thinking, microevolution, and the concept of evolution as a change in a population/species over time.
