Evolution

The theory of punctuated equilibrium suggests that species evolve rapidly in short spurts of time, followed by long periods of stability. This contrasts with the gradualistic view of steady, continuous change in species over time. The rate at which speciation occurs can vary greatly depending on factors such as environmental conditions, reproductive barriers, and genetic variation within a population. In some cases, speciation can happen relatively quickly, while in others it may take much longer.

For a character to affect evolution, it must be heritable, meaning it can be passed down from one generation to the next through genetic means. Additionally, the character must confer some sort of advantage or disadvantage that affects the individual's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Darwin based his theory on things he saw. For example he noticed how farmers bred animals for different characteristics. Darwin also observed variations among birds and thought that this was a result of natural selection enabling some birds better survival chances that others.

However Darwin's theory is deeply flawed because these changes can never result in new species being developed.

Darwin said if it could be shown that complex things did not develop from simple things then his theory would not stand.

Scientists know these days about the complex biological machines that are found inside cells and these cannot be reduced to simpler forms

The theory of evolution is widely accepted by the scientific community because it is supported by a vast body of evidence from various scientific disciplines such as biology, genetics, paleontology, and geology. It provides a robust and coherent explanation for the diversity of life on Earth and has successfully predicted and explained numerous observations in the natural world. Additionally, the theory of evolution has undergone rigorous testing and scrutiny through peer review, further supporting its acceptance within the scientific community.

Beneficial traits in a population tend to increase over time through a process called natural selection. Individuals with these traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on the beneficial traits to their offspring. This can lead to a gradual change in the population's genetic makeup, resulting in the accumulation of advantageous traits.

Adaptive radiation is a process where a single ancestral species rapidly diversifies into multiple new species to fill different ecological niches. This usually occurs in response to new environmental opportunities or challenges. Each new species evolves specific adaptations to thrive in their respective niches, leading to a wide range of morphological, behavioral, and ecological variations among the descendant species.

The Peppered moth avoids predation by using camouflage to blend int to tree bark. It was originally white with black spots. However in the industrial revolution when the local trees were blacked by soot from the factory chimneys, a black variant with white spots became prevalent in these regions.

In the areas of pollution the black version blended in and the white stood out so natural selection changed the appearance of the population in these areas.

The main mechanism in which populations change over time is through natural selection. This process involves individuals with advantageous traits that help them survive and reproduce passing those traits on to their offspring, leading to an increase in the frequency of those traits in the population over generations.

phylogeny

"genesis and evolution of a phylum," 1872 (in Darwin), from Ger. Phylogenie, coined 1866 by Ger. biologist Ernst Heinrich Haeckel (1834-1919) from Gk. phylon "race" + -geneia "origin," from -genes "born."

Charles Darwin is the most famous scientist who developed the theory of evolution through natural selection. His work, "On the Origin of Species," revolutionized our understanding of how species evolve and adapt over time.

Answering a question can be done by simply stating your opinion on an issue or by giving what you believe to be the proper answer. A science inquiry on the other hand requires you stick to established scientific methods of inquiry (read available scientific literature on the issue, find out what scientific consensus currently is, take into account credible alternative hypothesis, do scientific research, etc.) and the outcome of scientific inquiry does not necessarily have to coincide with what your opinion on the issue was before you started the inquiry.

Evolution and development are both processes that involve changes over time. Evolution occurs at the population level, leading to changes in species characteristics over generations, while development refers to the individual growth and changes that occur during an organism's lifetime. Both processes involve adaptation and can be influenced by genetic and environmental factors.

The act of unfolding or unrolling; hence, in the process of growth; development; as, the evolution of a flower from a bud, or an animal from the egg., A series of things unrolled or unfolded., The formation of an involute by unwrapping a thread from a curve as an evolute., The extraction of roots; -- the reverse of involution., A prescribed movement of a body of troops, or a vessel or fleet; any movement designed to effect a new arrangement or disposition; a maneuver., A general name for the history of the steps by which any living organism has acquired the morphological and physiological characters which distinguish it; a gradual unfolding of successive phases of growth or development., That theory of generation which supposes the germ to preexist in the parent, and its parts to be developed, but not actually formed, by the procreative act; -- opposed to epigenesis., That series of changes under natural law which involves continuous progress from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous in structure, and from the single and simple to the diverse and manifold in quality or function. The pocess is by some limited to organic beings; by others it is applied to the inorganic and the psychical. It is also applied to explain the existence and growth of institutions, manners, language, civilization, and every product of human activity. The agencies and laws of the process are variously explained by different philosophrs.

The model for the slow ongoing process of evolution is called gradualism. It suggests that evolutionary change occurs gradually over long periods of time through the accumulation of small, incremental changes in populations. This contrasts with punctuated equilibrium, which suggests that evolution occurs in short bursts of rapid change followed by long periods of stability.

Potential causes of microevolution include mutations in DNA, gene flow between populations, genetic drift (random changes in gene frequency), natural selection (favoring certain traits), and changes in environmental conditions. These factors can lead to changes in allele frequencies within a population over time.

Analogous organs are similar in function and structure but evolved independently in different lineages. This suggests that these organs have adapted to similar environmental pressures, leading to their convergence over time. This supports the idea of evolution, as it demonstrates how organisms can evolve similar traits to better suit their environment.

In Darwin's theory of evolution, over-reproduction means that organisms tend to produce more offspring than can survive in their environment due to limited resources and competition. This leads to a struggle for existence, where only the fittest individuals with advantageous traits are able to survive and reproduce.

Radioactive dating helps determine the age of fossils and rocks, providing a timeline of when different species lived. By comparing the ages of different fossils and rocks, scientists can establish the sequence of evolutionary changes and patterns of speciation over time, supporting the theory of evolution.

Speciation is the process by which new species evolve from existing species. It is necessary for creating and maintaining biodiversity in ecosystems. Without speciation, organisms would not be able to adapt to changing environments and ultimately survive.

In evolution, fitness refers to an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment. It is a measure of an individual's genetic contribution to future generations. Individuals with higher fitness levels are more likely to pass on their genes to offspring, leading to evolutionary changes within a population over time.

Micro evolution refers to small-scale changes in gene frequencies within a population over a short period of time, while macro evolution involves large-scale changes that result in the formation of new species over long periods of time. Both processes involve genetic variation and natural selection, but the difference lies in the scale and time frame of the changes observed.

You are an example of human micro-evolution as the population of humans has changed allele frequency over time. Micro-evolution is just evolution; change over time.

Radioactive dating helps scientists determine the ages of rocks and fossils, which provide a timeline of Earth's history. By comparing the ages of different fossils and rock layers, scientists can trace the evolution of species over time. This timeline of evolution is a key piece of evidence supporting the theory of evolution.

Evolution is considered a scientific theory because it is supported by a wide range of evidence from various scientific fields such as genetics, paleontology, and comparative anatomy. The theory of evolution explains how species change over time through natural selection, a process that has been observed and tested by scientists. It is a well-established framework in biology that helps us understand the diversity and complexity of life on Earth.

Darwin, however, noticed similarities among species all over the globe, along with variations based on specific locations, leading him to believe that they had gradually evolved from common ancestors.

He came to believe that species survived through a process called "natural selection," where species that successfully adapted to meet the changing requirements of their natural habitat thrived, while those that failed to evolve and reproduce died off.

He wrote about the finches he found on other islands away from the main island, although nearly identical in all other ways to mainland finches, had different beaks. Their beaks had adapted to the type of food they ate in order to fill different niches on the Galapagos Islands. Their isolation on the islands over long periods of time made them undergo speciation.