Bio

Student`s name Instructor Course Date Bio Question 1: Discuss the process of natural selection as defined by Darwin. How did Darwin`s theory defer from his predecessors. In your opinion, have his theories been proved? Why and why not? Charles Darwin advanced the theory of natural selection in his work, The Origin of Species. According to Darwin, species produce members that exert immense pressure on the environment; hence, putting a strain on available resources. This leads to the struggle for survival. The members that win this vicious battle are those that happen to possess the traits that suit them better to the environment than their competitors. The theory holds that species constantly adapt to the environment in order to survive in future generations. The theory also attempts to account for the divergence of species from common ancestors. Therefore, as species adapt to new conditions and environments, they develop new features that differentiate them completely from their ancestors. Darwin`s theory, consequently, differed from previous theories. The most notable previous theorists in the same field include Lamarck, Agassiz, Robert Grant and Robert Chambers, among others. Some saw the hand of God in the transmutation of species (Richards, n.d.). However, this theory is yet to be proved, according to my opinion. So far, we have not seen monkeys evolving into humans, or human beings developing any new features to enhance their adaptation to the environment. Question 2: Discuss the concept of species. What ways do modern taxonomists use to distinguish different species? Scholars have advanced numerous concepts of species. Nevertheless, they delimit species broadly and inclusively, or narrowly. This has given rise to two groups of taxonomists referred to as either lumpers or splitters. Most notably, biologists hold that species are real and basic units of nature. This differentiates them from lower and higher taxonomic units. Generally, the lumpers uphold the concept of the polytypic species criteria while the splitters, on the other hand, hold on to the phylogenetic criteria (Wheeler & Meier, 2000). Question 3: Compare and contrast a temperate biome ...