people

John Ray

Coined the words species and genus.

First proposed that interbreeding organisms be called "species"

And similar groups of species be called "genera" (singular = "genus")

Fixity of species

Carolus Linnaeus

First systematic classification of organisms (Genus species, e.g., "Homo sapiens")
Also added "class" and "order"

Species were static and created by divine creator

Also classified homo sapiens, which pissed people off. Implicitly challenged great chain's vertical hierarchy, proposed horizontal relationships (A-B-C)

George du Buffon

first suggested dynamic relationship between organism and environment

First suggested that species were not completely fixed (they degrade)

Believed environment could act on a species and cause it to change.

Believed world was old, (maybe 30,000)

Erasmus Darwin

recognized that populations of organisms evolve and emphasized traits must be heritable

First proposed idea of the origin of species through evolution in "Zoonomia" (poetry book)

Common ancestry and life in the sea

did NOT have a mechanism for evolution

Jean Baptiste de Lamarck

recognized that populations of organisms evolve and emphasized traits must be heritable

first mechanistic theory of change

Theory of evolution by inheritance of acquired characteristics. Drew attention to heritability

Tried to put forth a mechanism, he was wrong. The things you do or pick up in your lifetime would make it to your offspring.

Coined the word biology

George Cuvier

recognized the connection between existing life forms and fossils

Recognized that fossils could be grouped with modern organisms and that older fossils were less like modern organisms than younger fossils.

Rejected the concept of evolution and argued for the "fixity of species"

Catastrophism

Charles Lyell

stressed gradualism and "deep time."

Challenged Catastrophism

Many fossils showed gradual change over long periods of time, "deep time".

"uniformitarianism"

Thomas Malthus

suggested that competition between individuals may be intense.

Populations have the potential to increase at a faster rate than resources. As a result there is intense competition among individuals

Eugenicist - Thinks the poor are over producing and are threatening the rich. Compete for food.

Darwin was aware of his ideas, made him think about natural competition.

Charles Darwin

Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection

Developed reputation as solid naturalist

Traveled all over the world - Galapagos Islands

Naturalist biodiversity theory that didn't depend on God.

Emphasized variation and populations
Emphasized both interconnectedness of life and adaptation
Like others, could not say how variation was transmitted or generated