Charles’ Darwin’s Laws

Natural Selection

Evolution occurred as the result of this

Overproduction

within a population more offspring are produced in each generation than can survive, because of limitations of space and food.

Competition

individuals compete for the available food and opportunity to mate and reproduce.

Variation

within each generation some individuals are better fitted to survive than others because of variations in characteristics.

Survival of the Fittest

those individuals better fitted to survive are more likely to live long enough to reproduce.

Transmission of Favorable Traits (Reproduction)

offspring of the fittest individuals will inherit the favorable variations that enabled their parents to survive and reproduce.

Evolution of Species (Speciation)-

accumulation of favorable variations will gradually lead to the appearance of new species better adapted to their environment.

Weakness in Darwin's Theory

it does not account for genetic basis of variations. At the time, not much was known about the mechanisms of genetic inheritance.