Different Evolution Theory | biology11-evolution

Catastrophism

~Georges cuvier~

Biography

Georges Cuvier is the one who came up with the theory of Catastrophism. During his life, he has studied sedimentary rocks, and animal anatomy. He was interested in comparative anatomy, which he concentrated on comparing modern elephant’s bone anatomy and an ancient age elephant. In spite of his studies the sedimentary rocks, he thought the earth was only a few million years old, even though it is actually over 4 billion years old.

How did he came up with the idea of Catastrophism?

He lived in France from 1769 to 1832. At that time, reading the bible was the major way to connect the idea with their study of natural science. In the earth’s history section, he deeply looked into the great flood. Other than reading a bible, he also observed fossils. He found out that the certain animal fossils disappear after they existed for long periods of time. He combined the idea of the great flood from the bible and the observation of the fossils, and he concluded with the idea of Catastrophism. Cuvier stated that according to Catastrophism, the evolution occurs in a short time.

Example

The volcano occurred in the town A, and all the white rabbits who used to live in the town A are all dead. However, after the volcano, the brown rabbits who used to live in the town B came to town A to repopulate the town A.

Geoges Cuvier (1762-1832)
He was born on August 23, 1769 in Montbeliard, France
His mother consciously educated him from early years. ( He was standing as the top student)
when he was 10 years old, he encountered Conrad Gessner’s Historiae Animalium, which made him interested in natural history.
In 1799, he became a natural history professor in College de Grance

Idea

Catastrophism is the idea that any large scale disaster or violent event that occurred in a short amount of time, and the disaster or the event was considered to occur periodically to destroy the habitat of species in a particular region, which is allowed to repopulate at the same area.

Island A

Island B

Repopulate

Uniformitarianism

~James hunnton & charles lyell~

Biography

James Hutton is the one who came up with the basic idea of Uniformatarianism in 1785. He was a geologist and physiologist, who is now known as “the father of modern geology”. He did not believe Catastrophism which referred to the bible is correct, because he believed that the event occurred in the past is the same process as what we can observe today.

Charles Lyell is the one who develops and explained the details of the idea of Uniformatarianism . He was a geologist, and he believed that all the things exist in the world is produced by physical, chemical and biological process throughout long periods of time. On the theory of uniformatarianism, he stated “The imagination was first fatigued and overpowered by endeavouring to conceive the immensity of time required for the annihilation of whole continents by so insensible a process.”

How did he came up with the idea of uniformitarianim?

Charles Lyell is the one who explained the details of uniformitarianims in 1830s.

James Hutton thought the earth is precessing at the constant rate based on the observation of rock he did. The high temperature can cause chemical reactions to form the minerals on the earth and the internal heat can expand the ground, which can create a mountain over a long period of time. Charles Lyell however, thought if the earth’s evolution is happening over a long period of time, the earth should be more than 6000 years old which has the estimated age of the earth James Hutton come up.

Idea of Uniformitarianism

Uniformitarianism is the idea that the evolution occurred by

gradual, small scale process over a long period of time.

He stated that according to Uniformatarianism, the evolution occurs slowly

but at the same rates. It means the evolution will look linear when we

graph it.

Example

Since Uniformitarianism is the theory believed that the geological change happens at the same rate, and they are no difference between now and the past. So, the floods in the past had no greater power than floods that they occur.

James Hutton ( June3,1726- March 26,1797)
Born in Edinburgh, Scotland
His father was a marketer and officeholder of Edinburgh, but died when James Hutton was still young
He was interested in Chemistry from young age, but went to University of Edinburgh to learn grammar
After 3 years of education in University of Adinburgh, he received an M.D degree in holland in September 1949

Charles Lyell( November 14, 1797 - February 22, 1875)
Born in Kinnordy, Forfarshire, Scottland
His father was a naturalist, who made Charles Lyell to study geology
He was interested in science and his hobby was to make a collection of butterflies and insects when he was young.
he got accepted to Oxford University when he was 19.
He received a B.A in December 1819

Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics

~Jean-Baptise lamark~

Biography

Jean-Baptiste Lamark is the one who came up with the idea of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics. He is a French naturalist, who had a large contribution in modern genetics and evolutionary theory. He was talented in biological fields, for example he gained attention from the naturalists in Paris when he created a system for analyzing the plants in France that is better than any system existing at that time.

How did he came up with the idea of inheritance of Acquired Characteristics

He firstly believed that the organisms that live today are more fit and adapted to their environment and the organisms that cannot be seen are the organisms that could not adapt and disappeared. In order to come up with his idea, he compared the current species with fossil forms, and he observed that there is a slight difference between the old ones and the new ones. He stated this observation as a “line of descent”

Also, he hypothesized that the inheritance of characteristic will be passed on to the next generation to be more adapted in spite of they did not have the study of cells and genetics.

Idea of Inheritance of acquired Characteristics

inheritance of Acquired Characteristics is the idea that the characteristics that one’s organisms made over their lifetime to survive can be passed on to its offspring. The organisms which successfully adapted over the generations can only survive and the other organisms which could not adapt will be disappeared. Over a long period of time, the organisms have increased its complexity.

Example

Based on his idea, the giraffes stretched their necks to eat

the leaves from the tall trees that the other organisms can’t reach.

jean- Baptiste Lamark (August1, 1744- December 18, 1829)
Born in Bazentin-Le-Petit, Picardy, France
His family wanted him to be the priesthood, but after the death of his father, he gained a postion in the military field.
He found interested in collecting plants which he was at the military, and after the injury, he has retired and started scientific career.
He was selected to the Academy of Sciences in 1779