ANTHR-140 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Erasmus Darwin, Robert Fitzroy, Georges Cuvier
15 Jun 2020
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Describe changes in assemblages of biological organisms that were tied to charges in rock layers of paris basin. Catastrophism: environmental catastrophes cause biological extinction which account for changes in species. Uniformitarianism (opposite of catastrophism)- what happened today (volcanoes earthquakes) occured in the past. Ancient origin of natural world erasmus darwin. Hms beagle went around south america (1831-1836) Observation of diversity of flora and fauna on voyage. Earthquake in chile interest in geology. Fossil bones of extinct animals from argentina. Observation of diversity in ground finches across galapagos (beaks) Reading on thomas malthus" an essay on the principle of population (1798) More people than food, populations stay stable, struggle for existence . Darwin concluded that individuals of a species with advantageous characteristics (adaptations) are more likely to survive in limiting conditions. Artificial selection by plant and animal breeders. 1836: darwin returns from voyage of hms beagle. 1844: darwin prepared sketch on theory of evolution by means of natural selection.
