Evolution: Pre-Darwinian Ideas and Charles Darwin

These flashcards cover key concepts and figures related to the evolution of pre-Darwinian ideas and the contributions made by Charles Darwin and others.

Geology

The study of the Earth.

Paleontology

The study of fossils.

Taxonomy

The study of classification and relationships of organisms.

Demography

The study of populations.

Evolutionary biology

The study of organisms and their changes over time.

Uniformitarianism

The concept that geological processes observed in the present were the same in the past.

Catastrophism

The theory that Earth's geology has been shaped by a series of sudden, short-lived, and catastrophically large events.

Binomial nomenclature

A system for naming species with two terms, the genus name followed by the species identifier.

Lamarckianism

The theory that organisms can pass on characteristics acquired during their lifetime to their offspring.

Natural Selection

The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Adaptive radiation

The process by which organisms diversify rapidly into a variety of forms when a change in the environment makes new resources available.

An Essay on the Principles of Population

A work by Thomas Malthus discussing population growth and its implications.

Descent with Modification

Darwin's concept that species evolve over time, changing from common ancestors.

Alfred Russel Wallace

A naturalist who independently conceived the theory of evolution through natural selection.