Download Charles Darwin 1831 Darwin and the Galapagos

Unit 2 Evolution
Directions: Take eight long pieces of paper (teacher provided) and fold
each in half so that you have a “flap system.” On the front write the
name and date of the scientist, and on the inside flap write the
information. Once you have recorded all of the scientists, paste them
into your notebook.
Page 11- heading, definition of evolution, Carl Linnaeus, Georges
Buffon, and James Hutton.
Page 12- Erasmus Darwin, Georges Cuvier, Jean Baptiste Lamarck, and
Charles Lyell.
Page 13- Charles Darwin, diagram on the Galapagos tortoises, and a
diagram of Darwin’s finches.
Page 14- Darwin and the Galapagos- given to you in class.
Heading: Unit 2 Evolution
Evolution: The process of biological change by which descendants come
to differ from their ancestors.
There are many scientists that were involved:
Developed a classification system for all
types of organisms.
Grouped them according to their
similarities.
Ex- Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class,
Order, Family, Genus, Species
Carl Linnaeus
1735
Proposed that species shared ancestors
instead of arising separately.
Suggested that the Earth was older than
6,000 years old.
Georges Buffon
1749
Charles Darwin’s grandfather. He
proposed that all living things were
descended from a common ancestor, and
that more complex forms of life arose
from less complex forms.
Erasmus Darwin
1794-1796
Proposed that all organisms evolved
toward perfection and complexity.
Species didn’t become extinct, but
rather turned into different forms.
Ex- The environment changed which
caused the organism to change.
Giraffes: giraffes evolved long necks
over many generations due to the trees /
vegetation growing taller. They
essentially “stretched their necks.” This
idea is known as inheritance of acquired
traits.
Jean Baptiste Lamarck
1809
He thought that animals could become
extinct. He observed that each rock
layer / strata had its own specific fossils.
Fossils in the deep layers were different.
Theory= Catastrophism: sudden
disaster
Georges Cuvier
Early 1800’s
Natural disasters (floods, volcanoes,
etc.) shaped our landforms and caused
species to become extinct.
Changes in landforms resulted from
slow changes over a long period of
time= Gradualism.
Ex- laying down soil or canyons being
created by rivers takes a lot of time.
Today: used to mean the gradual change
of species through evolution.
James Hutton
1785
Uniformitarianism: Geological
processes that shape Earth are uniform
through time. Things change at a
constant rate and are ongoing.
Charles Lyell
1830’s
1831- He set sail on a five year journey
aboard the HMS Beagle from England to
S. America and the Pacific Islands.
Kept observing variation in species:
differences in the physical traits of an
individual from those of other
individuals in the group.
Interspecific: among members of
different species.
Intraspecific: among individuals of the
same species.
Charles Darwin
1831
Darwin and the Galapagos
* Galapagos- Islands off Ecuador
* Darwin observed differences in animals that lived on different islands.
* Example 1: Tortoises
a. Saddle back tortoise-> had long necks / legs, lived where plants were tall.
b. Domed tortoise-> shorter necks / legs, lived in wet areas rich in mosses
and short plants.
* Example 2: Finches
a. Strong, thick beaks: lived in areas with large, hard shelled nuts.
b. Delicate beaks: found where insects or fruits were available.
Led Darwin to the idea of adaptation: species genetically change in a population
over time. They adapt to their surroundings.
He found fossil evidence which supported the idea of an ancient Earth.
Argentina: giant armadillos, Glyptodon, thought the Earth was older than 6,000
years.
Andes Mountains: fossils of marine organisms.
Experienced earthquakes: he observed land that was underwater being pushed
above sea level.
His observations supported Lyell’s theory: “geologic processes can add up to great
change over a long period of time.”
Fun Fact: Darwin took three tortoises from the Galapagos back to England and
named them Tom, Dick, and Harry. Relocated them to Australia because they
couldn’t adapt to the climate. They thought they were all males, but later found out
that one of the tortoises was a female and switched her name to Harriet. She died in
2006, she was 176 years old.