Theory of Evolution
Many of the first ideas about the _____ of _____ were strongly
influenced by _______ and _________. The idea suggested that all
forms of life have existed _________ since their _______. This is
not true and it is important to understand that evolution occurs very
_________ and only over _____ __________ of ______ adaptations.
George-Louis Leclerc (1707-1788): publicly challenged the idea that
life forms are ___________ and noted in high writings the
similarities between _______ and ______. He suggested that
species changed over time and that the earth was older than
________years.
Charles Lyell (1797-1875): proposed that _________ changes are
______ and ___________. He theorized that these slow changes
could happen over a ______ period of time and could result in
substantial changes. I.e. eroding rock
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829): Compared ________ species of
animals with _______ and observed what he interpreted as the
“__________________”, in which a series of fossils led to our
modern species.
Believed a species ___________ in __________ and became
better adapted to its environment until it reached a level of
____________.
Believed ______ ______ that were used extensively to cope with
conditions in the environment would become ________ and
________. These individuals with these traits would be passed to
offspring (______________________________)
Also suggested that body parts not used would eventually disappear.
He noted that an organisms adaptations to the environment resulted
in characteristics that could be inherited by offspring.
Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
Left for England on the _____________ to map the coast of S.
America. The journey provided Darwin with an opportunity to
explore the natural history and species diversity.
On the journey he asked a series of questions regarding the
observations from his journey
Years later he devised the “_____________________________”
and published the famous “_____________________”
Darwin’s theory showed how populations if individual species became
better adapted to their local environments over time.
Darwin’s theories:
Organisms produce more _________ than can ________.
Therefore organisms compete for __________ _________.
Individuals of a _____________ vary extensively and much of
this variation is _____________.
Individuals that are better suited to _______ conditions
survive to produce _____ offspring.
Processes for change are _____ and ________.
Natural selection results from the ability of certain individuals in any
population to survive local environmental conditions and to pass on the
traits that helped them survive in the first place.