Evolution

• • Darwin Concluded organisms with the most suitable characteristics to the environment would survive. This is known as the 'survival of the fittest'
  • Successful organisms are more likely to reproduce and pass on successful characteristics to their offspring
  • organisms that aren't as well adapted will die and not pass on these genetics to the next generation
  • over time, species pass on beneficial characteristics and the species evolves
• the development of new species is called speciation
• The phenotype of organism can change so much that a new species is formed. this called speciation
• speciation happens when the same species become reproductively isolated. this means they can't interbreed to produce fertile offspring.
• Species become extinct because:

  • the environment changes too quickly
  • a new predator kills them
  • a new disease kills them
  • they can't compete for food
• Darwin's 'on the origin of species' was controversial:

  • went against common religious beliefs
  • No scientific evidence of Genes and mutations
  • no scientific evidence for other scientists
• Jean-Baptiste Lamarck had different ideas:

  • He believed changes occurred during a species lifetime and would be passed onto an offspring