History of Evolution Flashcards
Define evolution
Heritable change in one or more characteristics of a population or species from one generation to the next.
Define microevolution
Changes in a single gene in a population over time
Define macroevolution
Formation of new species or groups of species
Define species
A group of related organisms that share a distinctive form
Define population
Members of the same species that are likely to encounter each other and thus have the opportunity to interbreed.
Define Empirical thought
Relies on observation to form an idea/hypothesis, rather than trying to understand life from a non-physical or spiritual pov.
What happened in the 1600s?
A shift toward empirical thought
What did John Ray do in the mid to late 1600s?
(not necessary)
- developed an early classification system
- described the modern species
What did Carolus Linnaeus do in 1735?
(not necessary)
- extended + improved the classification of species
- notable for his classification of plants
What did European scientists suggest during the late 1700s?
(not necessary)
Life forms are not fixed, they can change over time.
What did George Buffon say?
(not necessary)
Life forms change over time
What did Jean-Baptiste Lamarck realise?
(not necessary)
- living things evolved upward toward human ‘perfection’
- inheritance of acquired characteristics
Which theory did Darwin formulate?
theory of evolution (mid-1840s)
What were Darwin’s observations while on the Galapagos Islands?
- finches on different islands with differing food types had different beak types
- birds couldn’t move to other islands so populations couldn’t mix
- beak shape changed in response to feeding requirements + changes were passed to future generations
What did Darwin say evolution is based on?
- Variation (within a given species)
- Natural selection
