1. Evolutionary Theory

2.  Evolution  What is your reaction to this term?  Biological sciences  Humans and Apes shared last common ancestor 5-8 million years ago.

3.  Discoveries came over a long time from a lot of sources  Charles Darwin  Alfred Russel Wallace  Middle Ages  Thought processes were static  Greek influence – Aristotle  Scientific Revolution  Europe vs. Arabia and India

4.  John Ray (1627-1705)  Coined terms species and genus  Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778)  Fixity of species  George-Louis Le Clerc de Buffon (1707-1788)  Change does occur in the universe  Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802)  Charles Darwin’s Grandfather  Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829)  First to propose evolutionary process

5.  Georges Cuvier (1769-1832)  Opponent of Lamarck  Charles Lyell (1797-1875)  Wrote Principles of Geology  Thomas Malthus (1766-1834)  English clergyman and economist  Mary Anning (1799-1847)  Discovered a lot of fossils

6.  John Baptiste Lamack was the first scientist to produce an explanation for the evolutionary process.  He believed that species change was influenced by environmental change.

7.  Georges Cuvier introduced the concept of extinction and the theory of catastrophism.  The view that the earth’s geological landscape is the result of violent cataclysmic events.  Cuvier promoted this view, especially in opposition to Lamarck.

8.  Thomas Malthus wrote about the relationship between food supply and population increase.  His essay on the Principle of Population led both Darwin and Wallace to the principle of natural selection.

9.  Charles Lyell developed the theory of uniformitarianism.

10.  Discovered the first complete fossil of Ichthyosaurus, a large fishlike marine reptile.  She became known as one of the world’s leading “fossilists” and contributed to the understanding of the evolution of marine life over 200 million years ago.

11.  Ideas were formed while serving as a naturalist on the voyage of the HMS beagle.  Darwin saw the importance of biological variation within a species.  Recognized the importance of sexual reproduction in increasing variation.  By 1844, Darwin had complete the work that he would publish fifteen years later.

12.  A naturalist who worked in South America and Southeast Asia.  Suggested species descended from other species and new species were influenced by environmental factors.  Presented paper on evolution and natural selection to the Linnean Society of London jointly with Darwin.

13.  Charles Darwin (1809-1882)  Discovered first credible mechanism for evolutionary change  HMS Beagle  Finches and barnacles  Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913)  Developed own theory of natural selection  Wrote letter to Darwin

15.  Darwin’s formulation included:  Potential for reproductive rates that outpace the rate of food supply  The presence of biological variation within all species  Constant competition among individuals for survival  Favorable traits = increase in reproduction  Environment determines favorable traits  Favorable traits passed to offspring  Over long periods of time, successful variations accumulate in populations  Geographical isolation may result in new species

18.  Peppered moth in the UK  Galapagos birds and beak thickness

19.  The variation exhibited by dog breeds has been achieved in a relatively short time through artificial selection.

20. 1. A trait must be inherited if natural selection is to act on it. 2. Natural selection can’t occur without population variation in inherited characteristics. 3. Fitness is a relative measure that changes as the environment changes. 4. Natural selection can only act on traits that affect reproduction.

21.  No one knew source of variation that Darwin explained  Did not know how favorable traits were passed down.  Laws of heredity unknown – Mendel had not come on the scene  DNA was not discovered until 1953

22.  Offensive to Christians because in conflict with Biblical versions of creation  Evolution considered to be a fact by most scientists today  Accepted in part by Catholic Church and most Protestants  Fundamentalists reject evolution Creationism Intelligent Design  Debate topic:  Should evolution be taught in public schools? If so should Creationism also be taught?