1. Darwin Naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle (1831 – 1836) Collected specimens of wildlife perhaps living things changed slowly over long periods of time!

2. Darwin was influenced by:  Lyell’s Principles of Geology (Earth changes slowly over time)  Malthus’ An Essay on the Principles of Population (human population grows faster than food production)

3. He formed a theory to explain his observations made along South American coast

4. Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection Overproduction Competition Variation Adaptations Natural Selection Speciation

5. Overproduction Competition Variation Adaptation Natural Selection Speciation More organisms are born than needed to maintain the population

6. Competition Variation Adaptation Natural Selection Speciation Organisms compete for limited natural resources such as food, water, shelter and space

7. Variation Adaptation Natural Selection Speciation Organisms within a population vary

8. Adaptation Natural Selection Speciation Adaptation: Any inherited trait that increases the chances of survival and thus reproduction Survival of the fittest

9. Natural Selection Speciation Individuals with favorable variations (adaptations) are more likely to survive and pass on these traits to their offspring Nature (the environment) determines which variations are favorable (selected for survival) microevolution

10. Speciation Favorable variations (adaptations) gradually accumulate and unfavorable variations disappear over many generations Eventually this leads to a new species macroevolution