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Darwin: Natural Selection, &
Evolution
Chapter 13
What you need to know!
How Lamarck’s and other notable
predecessors’ views of the mechanism of
evolution differed from Darwin’s.
 The difference between structures that
are homologous and those that are
analogous, and how this relates to
evolution.
 The role of adaptations, variation, time,
reproductive success, and heritability in
evolution.

Preceding Darwin
Aristotle 384-322 BC – Scala naturae:
oragnization of life based on increasing
complexity
 Linnaeus 1707-1778 – taxonomy: naming and
classifying all organisms, binomial
nomenclature: genus and species
 Cuvier 1769-1832 – father of paleontology,
study of fossils leads to theory of
catastrophism (mass extinction) which
explains the boundaries between strata and
the location of different species

Preceding Darwin
Hutton 1726-1797 &
Lyell 1797-1875 –
Theory of Gradualism
(uniformitarianism):
Earth geology changes
slowly and
continuously
 The Earth must be
VERY old
 Darwin studied Lyell’s
work

Preceding Darwin

Lamark 1744-1829 – 1st theory of
evolution
◦ Use or disuse of body parts leads to their
development or deterioration (acquired
characteristics)
◦ Inheritance of acquired characteristics
Charles Darwin

Born in England in the 1800’s
◦ Rich family

Went to college
◦ Studied the bible

Sailed around the world studying life
◦ Pictures, fossils, samples
Wrote the book: The Origin of Species
 Father of Evolution by Natural Selection

Darwin’s Journey

Darwin was fascinated by life
◦ He wanted to learn about all different kinds

He sailed around the world in the mid 1800’s
aboard the H.M.S. Beagle
Darwin

Video:
◦ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/11/
2/quicktime/e_s_2.html
The Galapagos Islands

It was in the Galapagos Islands that Darwin
made his most famous observations
The Galapagos Islands
Section 15-1
Pinta
Pinta Island
Tower
Marchena
Intermediate shell
Fernandina
James
Santa Cruz
Isabela
Santa Fe
Hood Island
Floreana
Isabela Island
Dome-shaped shell
Hood
Saddle-backed shell
Darwin’s Finches
Darwin gathered many finches from all the
Galapagos Islands
 He noticed that each finch from each island
was slightly different
 They have a beak best suited to eat the
food available on their island

Darwin’s Finches
Artificial Selection (Selective Breeding)

Darwin modeled natural selection after
artificial selection:
◦ Humans choose which traits they like and use
selective breeding to manipulate the traits
Evolution by Natural Selection
1.
2.
3.
Individual organisms differ, and some of
this variation is heritable.
Organisms produce more offspring than
can survive.
Because more organisms are produced
than can survive, organisms compete for
limited resources.
Evolution by Natural Selection
4.
5.
Individuals best adapted to their
environment survive and reproduce
most successfully. These organisms pass
their heritable traits to their offspring.
Species alive today are descended with
modification from species that lived in
the distant past. If you go back far
enough all life on this planet is linked in
one great tree of life.