Evolution and Natural Selection

Evolution by natural selection is a process first conceptualized by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace. It describes how species evolve over time due to changes in heritable physical or behavioral traits. Changes that allow an organism to better adapt to its environment will help it survive and have more offspring.

Evolution is the cornerstone of modern biology, providing a unified explanation for the diversity of life on Earth and guiding scientific research in various fields of biology.

Key Concepts

• The Theory of Evolution: An overview of the evidence supporting the theory and its implications for biology.
• Natural Selection: The mechanism by which evolution occurs. How advantageous traits become more common in a population over time.
• Adaptation: How populations of organisms adapt to their environment as a result of natural selection.
• Speciation: The formation of new and distinct species in the course of evolution.
• Phylogenetics: The study of the evolutionary history and relationships among individuals or groups of organisms.

Understanding evolution and natural selection equips us with the knowledge to answer fundamental questions about life, diversity, and how organisms have come to exist in their present forms.