Notes for Understanding Evolution - Chapter 2
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General guide on these review questions here
Chapter 2 - Darwinian Scheme of Evolution
PBS Website Link
Objectives:
a) What observations and ideas were important to Darwins insight as to how "adaptations" in nature might be explained (i.e., by his notion of natural selection)?
b) Can you describe natural selection, starting with observations about natural populations and ending with Darwins proposed mechanism of change?
c) What is the distinction between evolution and natural selection?
Introduction
Featured Scientist: Charles Robert Darwin
RQ2.1: How did Charles Lyell's book on geology have an important role in Darwin's understanding of evolution?
RQ2.2: Give an example of how biogeography (comparison of the geographic distribution of species) had an important role in Darwin's understanding of evolution?
I. Mechanism of Evolution
Key Terms: descent with modification (Darwin's terms for his notion of "evolution"), artificial vs. natural selection
II. Darwin's Natural Selection
RQ2.3: How did Thomas Malthus' book on economics have an important role in Darwin's understanding of evolution?
Featured Scientist: Alfred Russel Wallace
RQ2.4: Explain the notion of natural selection, incorporating all of the following: 1) variation; 2) heredity; 3) potential reproduction; 4) competition
III. Differential Reproduction
RQ2.5: How is fitness defined by biologists?
RQ2.6: What two words best sum up Darwin's notion of natural selection?
IV. Evolution Defined
Key Terms: individual, population, evolution (Note that the definition of evolution presented here is one type of evolution: anagenesis; later we will discuss another type known as cladogenesis or speciation.)
RQ2.7: Does evolution refer to individuals or populations?
Click link to return to Biology
409 Schedule
or back to Chapter 1 or ahead to Chapter
3
This page created 8/16/01 © D.J. Eernisse, Last Modified 1/30/03, Links Last Completely Checked 1/30/03