Unit 1: Evolution - The Evolution of an Idea

Question 1

What is “immutable”?

Answer 1

The idea that species cannot change

Question 2

What happened as far back as Aristotle (384-322 BCE)?

Answer 2

Europeans accepted the idea that Earth and all living things had been created in their present forms and were immutable - they could not change and had not changed

Question 3

Where did this idea come from?

Answer 3

From religious beliefs, philosophical debate and thoughtful conjecture

Question 4

In the 15th to 18th century scientific methodology took shape. What did this entail?

Answer 4

• Careful Observation
• Experimentation
• Deductive reasoning

Question 5

What did George-Louis Leclerc & Buffon do?

Answer 5

(1707-1788) Applied scientific methods to the detailed study of anatomy

Question 6

What did George-Louis Leclerc & Buffon become puzzled by?

Answer 6

Anatomical features that seemed to serve no purpose (i.e. Why do pigs have extra toes that do not reach the ground?)

Question 7

What did George-Louis Leclerc & Buffon believe?

Answer 7

The species had been created in a more perfect form but had changed over time

Question 8

What did Carl Linneaeus & Erasmus Darwin propose?

Answer 8

That life changed over time.

Question 9

What did Erasmus (Darwin’s Grandfather) suggest?

Answer 9

That all life might have evolved from a single original source

Question 10

What did not occur?

Answer 10

No plausible mechanisms for how this changed occurred therefore their ideas remained speculative

Question 11

What was Hutton’s theory of gradualism?

Answer 11

That major changes are the result of slow small changes

Question 12

What was part of this theory of gradualism?

Answer 12

The earth at one time was one large supercontinent known as Gondwana then evolved into Pangea.

Question 13

Theory of Gradualism-through what how is the earth today?

Answer 13

Eventually through plate tectonic it is what it is today. Seven continents.

Question 14

What were Lyell’s beliefs?

Answer 14

Geological changes throughout time have been subjected to the same forces

Question 15

What were Lyell’s conclusions?

Answer 15

If geological changes are slow, earth is older than 6,000 years old
The slow changes can build and result in profound environmental changes over time

Question 16

What did Chevalier & Jean-Baptiste Lamarck believe?

Answer 16

Organisms adapted to their environments
- through acquired traits
- change in their life time

Question 17

What was Chevalier & Jean-Baptiste Lamarck’s theory include with regards to use and disuse?

Answer 17

Organisms lost parts because they did not use them — like the missing eyes & digestive system of the tapeworm

Question 18

What was Chevalier & Jean-Baptiste Lamarck’s theory include with regards to Perfection with use and need?

Answer 18

The constant use of an organ leads that organ to increase in size, for example:
the muscles of a blacksmith
the large ears of a night-flying bat

Question 19

What else did Chevalier & Jean-Baptiste Lamarck’s believe?

Answer 19

Transmit acquired characteristics to next generation

Question 20

What did Lamarck believe with regards to giraffes?

Answer 20

That if an adult giraffe stretched its neck during its lifetime, then its offspring would be born with slight longer necks

Question 21

What kind of theory is Lamarck’s giraffe theory?

Answer 21

A Flawed theory!!!

Question 22

Why is Lamarck’s giraffe theory flawed?

Answer 22

Physical changes do not result in changes in genes, therefore are not passed on

Question 23

What did Malthus publish?

Answer 23

That populations increase faster than environment can handle

Question 24

What is seen in all species according to Malthus?

Answer 24

Capacity to over-reproduce is seen in all species

Question 25

What will there be a struggle for according to Malthus?

Answer 25

Between the members of the population

Question 26

What did Malthus reason?

Answer 26

That if the human population continued to grow unchecked, sooner or later there would be insufficient living space and food for everyone

Question 27

What was Charles Darwin invited to do?

Answer 27

Travel around the world

Question 28

What did he voyage on?

Answer 28

The HMS Beagle

Question 29

What did he make?

Answer 29

Many observations of nature

Question 30

What was the main mission of the Beagle?

Answer 30

To chart South American coastline

Question 31

Where did the HMS Beagle stop?

Answer 31

In Galapagos Islands, 500 miles off coast of Ecuador

Question 32

Describe Galapagos

Answer 32

• Recent volcanic origin
• Most of animal species on the Galápagos live nowhere else in world, but they resemble species living on South American mainland.

Question 33

What was Darwin amazed to find out?

Answer 33

All 14 species of birds on the island were finches, but there was only one species of finch on the mainland.

Question 34

What is Rapid Speciation?

Answer 34

New species filling niches, because they inherited successful adaptations.

Question 35

Why was it not only finches?

Answer 35

Many islands also show distinct local variations in tortoise morphology…

Question 36

What is the first point of Darwin’s theory?

Answer 36

Organisms differ; variation is inherited

Question 37

What is the second point of Darwin’s theory?

Answer 37

Organisms produce more offspring than survive

Question 38

What is the third point of Darwin’s theory?

Answer 38

Organisms compete for resources

Question 39

What is the fourth point of Darwin’s theory?

Answer 39

Organisms with advantages survive to pass those advantages to their children

Question 40

What is the fifth point of Darwin’s theory?

Answer 40

Species alive today are descended with modifications from common ancestors