Evolution and Darwin's theory of natural selection

¶ … Evolution: Darwin

The purpose of this work is to explore the "Theory of Evolution" as set forth by Darwin and to further explore what is termed as "natural selection" as well as that of "artificial selection." This paper will further examine Darwin's Theory as to the workings of evolution as well as exploring exactly how natural selection works to produce evolution.

Finally, the role of individual genetic variations in relation to evolution and natural selection will be researched. The evolving of traits in species will also be examined as well as the applicable use of those theories.

Having first traveled throughout the world, on a ship, exploring both land and water, in the role of a "Naturalist," and having observed the wonders of the Andes and witnessed the result of Chilean earthquakes, crossed hundreds of miles, trekking through unknown regions, Charles Darwin, returned to England.

Darwin continued to study and after having read "The Principle of Population" written by Thomas Malther, Darwin then explained why evolution could and in his opinion had occurred.

I. Principles of Evolution:

The principles of evolution are as follows:

i. Variation is an existing factor among species.

ii. Adverse factors such as scarcity of resources leads to species competing for resources with some surviving and others dying.

iii. Having advantageous variations may cause a species to be more likely to not only to survive but also to reproduce.

III. Natural Section -- Artificial Selection:

"Natural Selection" so termed by Darwin, is the name given to the process by which a species survives because of favorable "variations." Darwin termed this type of survival to be "adaptive radiation." Survival through the process of adaptive radiation is "Divergent" in that two of more related species gradually became less and less alike.

IV. Biological Adaptation:

The three basic types of biological adaptation are:

1. Chance and Necessity: "Fundamental principles that living systems owe their properties to an interplay between random events and consistent, predictable processes. (Example: random asteroid impacts, random mutations)

2. Variation: This is the evolutionary biologists main point of study. There are no fixed properties in this process.

3. Biological Diversity: This is a comparative study of the evolution of collective species.

Natural selection could be demonstrated in the prehistoric features of birds that have been proven relation to the reptilian species. The coloring of feathers in birds is brighter for males and fainter for females; this is also true of snakes. This seems to be a variation that even in natural selection stayed genetically strong in both species. Another example if the flying squirrel, able to soar from treetop to treetop.

Another example is that in the arid grasslands of Africa around 5 million years ago, a species was emerging that walked upright and had smaller canine and molar teeth than those preceding this species. This species survived due to the favorable variations that occurred causing the species to gain use of hands for making tools and weaponry and carrying food into the trees for safety.

"Artificial Selection" is that which occurs purposefully on the part of human choice. For instance if blue eyes are desirable and blond hair then the couple would marry someone with those traits, however, in today's highly technological environment the capacity for picking and choosing traits of the unborn child has become an option. Variation is that which is studied in relation to behavioral aspects of a species and is studied by psychologist and sociologists in the search to learn why species behave as they do.

The study of evolutionary biology is extremely important in attaining an understanding of the governance of principles of "origin" and "extinction" of species. There are no "fixed" elements in biological species as they experience constant changes, adaptations, shifts and even emergency and extinction.