Introduction to Evolution and Taxonomy

Evolution

Descent with modifications

Evolutionary Theory

A coherent body of knowledge that guides our exploration of biodiversity

Theory

A set of broad, comprehensive, and systematic explanation of an aspect of the natural world based on a body of evidence and repeated experiments

A hypothesis has to:

• be falsifiable

• be supported by evidence

• only be used in specific cases

• provide an explanation for a prediction

Inductive Reasoning

Using repeated specific observations to reach a generalized conclusion such as premises and hypotheses

• observe → ponder → hypothesize

Deductive Reasoning

Using premises that are thought to be true to formulate a prediction for testing in an experiment

• ponder → deduce

Controlled Experiments

test with one or several independent factors (experimental group) while all remaning factors being the same (control groups)

Correlations

used to predict conditions and status changes that occur when two things tend to progress and change together

Causations

changes in one thing that leads to a change in another

Nomenclature

system of rules of naming organisms that is agreed upon by most scholars

Taxonomy

Discipline of naming organisms and placing them into containers of classification

Linnaean System

grouped species together on the basis of similarity

    - Created before evolution was a widely accepted concept; has a religous background

    - Uses binomial nomenclature: Capitalized genus name followed by lowercase species name

Linnaean Classification Hierarchy

Domain → Kingdom → Phylum → Class → Order → Family → Genus → Species

Folk Taxonomy

traditional, informal taxonomic schemes that used by specific languages

• doesn’t accurately capture biological relationships