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Carolus Linnaeus (1735)
Founder of Taxonomy: the classification and naming of organisms. Developed genus and species classification
Used morphological similarities to group organisms
Believed these patterns reflected creation, not evolution
James Hutton (1795)
Proposed Gradualism: slow, continuous processes shape Earth's landscape. Observed valley formation, soil formation, and sediment accumulation
Suggested Earth was much older than previously thought
Georges Cuvier (Late 1700s - Early 1800s)
Studied fossils in sedimentary rock layers. Developed Catastrophism: boundaries between rock layers represent catastrophes
Noticed older fossils were increasingly different from current life forms
Thomas Malthus (1798-1826)
Proposed populations grow faster than resources. Proposed populations grow faster than resources
Predicted war, famine, and disease would limit human population growth
Concept of struggle for existence influenced Darwin
Charles Lyell (1830s)
Proposed Uniformitarianism: the same natural processes operate today as in the past. Argued that geological change is slow and continuous
Supported idea that Earth was much older than 6,000 years
Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck (1809)
Use and Disuse Theory: organs used grow stronger, unused organs deteriorate. Inheritance of Acquired Traits: changes during an organism's life are passed to offspring (incorrect theory)
First to propose species change over time, but his mechanism was incorrect
Alfred Russel Wallace (1855-1858)
Independently discovered natural selection. Independently discovered natural selection
Sent Darwin a letter outlining his ideas in 1858
Co-authored a scientific paper with Darwin, but Darwin's 1859 book became more famous
Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
Naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle (1831-1836). Collected plants, animals, fossils (especially in the Galápagos Islands)
Observed finches with different beak shapes adapted to food sources
Published On the Origin of Species (1859), describing natural selection
Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection
Variation in traits (e.g., some beetles are green, some are brown). Differential survival and reproduction (some traits help survival more)
Inheritance (successful traits are passed down)
Population changes over time (advantageous traits become more common)
Natural Selection vs. Artificial Selection
Natural Selection: Nature selects traits that help survival and reproduction. Artificial Selection: Humans breed for desirable traits (e.g., crops, livestock, dogs)
Darwin tested artificial selection with pigeons and plants
