Theories of Evolution

*Evolution
the process by which modern organisms have
descended from ancient organisms.
Evolution means change over time
The processes that have transformed life on earth
from its earliest forms to the vast diversity that
characterizes it today.
*Charles Darwin
Darwin set sail on the H.M.S. Beagle (1831-1836) to
survey the south seas (mainly South America and the
Galapagos Islands) to collect plants and animals.
In 1844 he writes his theory on the origin of species.
Wrote in 1859: On the Origin of Species by Means of
Natural Selection
Two main points:
1. Species were not created in their present form, but
evolved from ancestral species.
2. Proposed a mechanism for evolution: NATURAL
SELECTION
*Observations and Inferences
Observation 1: Left unchecked, the number of organisms of each
species will increase exponentially, generation to generation.

 Observation 2: In nature, populations tend to

remain stable in size.
Observation 3: Environmental resources are
limited.

Inference 1: Production of more individuals than

can be supported by the environment leads to a
struggle for existence among individuals, with only a
fraction of offspring surviving in each generation.

Observation 4: Individuals of a population vary extensively in

their characteristics with no two individuals being exactly alike.
Observation 5: Much of this variation between
individuals is heritable.

Inference 2: Survival in the struggle for existence is

not random, but depends in part on the heritable
characteristics of individuals. Individuals who inherit
characteristics most fit for their environment are
likely to leave more offspring than less fit individuals.
Inference 3: The unequal ability of individuals to
survive and reproduce leads to a gradual change in a
population, with favorable characteristics
accumulating over generations (natural selection).

Taken together, these three inferences are a

statement of Darwins Theory of Evolution

*NATURAL SELECTION
Individuals with favorable traits are more likely
to leave more offspring better suited for their
environment.
Also known as Differential Reproduction
Natural Selection leads to organisms that are
well suited in particular environments.
It provides a scientific explanation for the
history of life on Earth as depicted in the fossil
record and similarities evident within the
diversity of existing organisms.

*EVOLUTION BY NATURAL SELECTION

The Struggle for Existence-members of each
species have to compete for food, shelter,
other life necessities
Survival of the Fittest-Some individuals better
suited for the environment

*ARTIFICIAL SELECTION

 The selective breeding of domesticated plants

and animals by man.

nature provides the variation among different

organisms, and humans select those variations
they find useful.