Evolution and Natural Selection University of Michigan进化与自然选择密歇根大学.pptVIP

Evolution and Natural Selection I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term Natural Selection Evolution and Natural Selection We wish to ask: What are the main points of Darwin’s theory of evolution? How did observations of nature lead to the formulation of the theory of evolution? How does the process of natural selection work? What evidence do we have for local adaptation? How can natural selection affect the frequency of traits over successive generations? The Intellectual Climate in Darwin’s Time The age of the earth was uncertain, but studies of strata suggested a time sequence. Uniformitarianism -- the concept that present conditions and processes are the key to the past -- was becoming influential. Fossil discoveries revealed unknown life forms, suggesting extinctions had occurred. Similarities among organisms were beginning to be seen as evidence of relatedness. Jean Baptiste Lamarck A predecessor of Darwin, Lamarck argued that animals adapted to their environment His advocacy of gradual evolution change is remembered mainly because he got the mechanism wrong. Summary of the history of evolutionary thought Darwin’s Theory of Evolution Organisms have changed over time. Those living today are different from those that lived in the past. All organisms are derived from common ancestors by a process of branching. Similarities of traits are evidence of a recent, common ancestor. Change is gradual and slow, requiring a very long time. Natural selection is the mechanism of evolutionary change. The Process of Natural Selection All populations have the capacity for geometric increase, yet do not. There must be a “struggle” to survive and reproduce, in which only a few are successful. Organisms vary in traits that influence their likelihood of success in this “struggle”. Organisms whose traits enable them to survive and reproduce will contribute a greater number of offspring to the next generation. Offspring