Curvier’s Catastrophism Lyell’s UNIFORMITARIANISM Lamarck’s Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics.

CHARLES LYELL & JEAN-BAPTISTE LAMARCK

Summary of Ideas Proposed by these Chaps

Curvier’s Catastrophism Lyell’s UNIFORMITARIANISM

Lamarck’s

Inheritance of Acquired

Characteristics

Georges Cuvier

Georges Cuvier – developed paleontology

Georges Cuvier – developed paleontology

The study of life through ancient fossils

How can I explain how species go extinct in an area and how new ones repopulate the area?

How can I explain how species go extinct in an area and how new ones repopulate the area?

.. and that all this happened in 6000 years.

How can I explain how species go extinct in an area and how new ones repopulate the area?

… the idea that catastrophes such as floods, diseases,

and droughts periodically destroyed species living in a

particular region, allowing species from neighbouring

regions to repopulate the area

Curvier’s Catastrophism

.. and that all this happened in 6000 years.

Charles Lyell says .. I don’t think that’s right

• Uniformitarianism:

Lyell’s theory that geological processes operated at the same rates in the past as they do today

• Uniformitarianism:

Lyell’s theory that geological processes operated at the same rates in the past as they do today

• Slow changes occurred in the past … Slow changes occur today too …

• Uniformitarianism:

Lyell’s theory that geological processes operated at the same rates in the past as they do today

• Slow changes occurred in the past … Slow changes occur today too …

• … and the Earth is probably older than 6000 years

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck• Hmm.. If changes happen slowly …

then animals would become progressively better adapted to their environments

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck• Hmm.. If changes happen slowly …

then animals would become progressively better adapted to their environments

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck• Hmm.. If changes happen slowly …

then animals would become progressively better adapted to their environments

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck• Hmm.. If changes happen slowly …

then animals would become progressively better adapted to their environments

• Proposed the following.

Inheritance of acquired characteristics

- the idea that characteristics acquired during an organism’s lifetime can be passed on to its offspring

Lamarck suggested that body parts not used would eventually disappear. This idea is called use and disuse.

Summary of Ideas Proposed by these Chaps

Curvier’s Catastrophism Lyell’s UNIFORMITARIANISM

Lamarck’s

Inheritance of Acquired

Characteristics

Charles Darwin Enters the Scene …• Okay I agree with the idea

that there are slow changes .. And these slow changes occur in populations

The rest of you are wrong.

Welcome

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection

• Q# 3-6, Page 327