DANCEST 301 Lecture 27:
Document Summary
Development of the evolutionary theory (book origin of species 1859) Focused on similarities among animals and humans. Pointed to the importance of heredity. Developed a theory of how life adapts to changing situations. Discovered the way life in the universe came about, constantly changes and adapts itself to changing circumstances. Swedish physician started to classify plants and animals in the 18th century systema naturae. Taxonomy of biological species confronted scholars with issues about how to define distinctions & similarities. Observation that although many plants were capable of self-fertilization, they seemed to avoid it. Cross-fertilization produced variation in the offspring that was more vital and sometimes resulted in the creation of a new type of flower. Natural selection: process by which the environment results in the continuation & multiplication of organisms with certain genetic features and hinders the reproduction of organisms with other genetic features.