Lamarck Vs Darwin Theory Of Evolution: A Detailed Account
The discipline of biology has been revolutionized by the introduction of evolution theory by Darwin and Lamarck. Still from then, there have been strong debates on Lamarck vs Darwin theory of evolution. Though both of the theorists have proposed that living beings are evolving throughout the years as per the fluctuating environment, there are some evident differences in their core ideologies and concepts.
We have published this article to enlighten our readers about the evolution theories put forward by Lamarck and Darwin. Even the small aspects of these theories are covered in this article. Stick till the end to know how these theories have helped various scientists to arrive at various scientific explanations regarding the evolution of different living things.
The major difference between the concepts of Evolution and Adaptation
There has often been confusion between the concepts of evolution and adaptation. Many of the scholars and researchers in the discipline of biology have discussed the concepts of evolution and adaptation. Before moving on to the comparison between the Lamarck vs Darwin theory of evolution we should understand the basic difference between the concepts of evolution and adaptation.
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Evolution |
Adaptation |
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Definition |
The process of development that has been unceasingly continuing from the inception of life on earth and has led to the emergence of various life forms is termed to be evolution. |
It is the approach or the process of adjusting to the environment, which is termed to be an adaptation. In order to survive in a hostile condition, every living being is required to make certain adaptations. Otherwise, the particular species would get extinct even by small changes in the environment. |
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Range of alteration |
Evolution is a very slow process, and it sometimes takes generations to see evident changes in the organisms. Only a long-term change could be observed in this process, and changes are traceable only in a gradual passage of time. |
The process of adaptation is more rapid when compared to the time taken for evolution. The changes due to adaptation could be seen n the same generation since the organism has to adapt to the new environment. Failure in suddenly adapting to the exposed environment would lead to the extinction of that species. |
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Reason |
The features to which the living thing undergo evolution are very specific. The prolonged course of evolution would lead to the emergence of new species. |
The major reason behind the process of adaptation is due to the exposure of a specific living thing to a strange and hostile environment. To sustain its life, the species require to adapt itself to the new environment. |
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Reversibility |
The process of evolution could never be reversed since it brings fundamental changes to the species. The process of evolution comes into effect after going through various generations. Hence the species would never go back to its initial form after going through an evolution. |
As mentioned in the previous section, the sudden fluctuations in the environment condition bring in effect the process of adaptation in a species. Since these are the sudden changes, the previous characteristics could be retrieved by the living thing. Hence the process of adaptation is reversible. |
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Result |
The process of evolution over the ages brings to the emergence of a new species. |
The process of adaptation just brings phenotypic variations that would help in adjusting the new environment. |
Hence from the above-conducted comparison, it is been evident that both the process of adaptation and evolution are necessary to sustain life on earth. Whereas the process of adaptation helps the living organisms to attune to the sudden changes in the environment, the process of evolution aims to bring perfection to the species by making changes at the genetic level. We hope that by now, you have a thorough hold over the concept of adaptation and evolution. Let’s move on to the detailed discussion over Lamarck vs Darwin theory of evolution.
Stance was taken by Lamarck vs Darwin on the concept of evolution and adaptation
The contribution of Lamarck vs Darwin theory of evolution to the discipline of biology was immense, though they differed in their opinion and perceptions. Their theories had both similarities and dissimilarities in their context. Let us have a detailed look at the discussion provided in the below section of this article on Lamarck vs Darwin theory of evolution.
Lamarckian Evolution Theory
It was in the year of 1801 that Jean Baptiste Lamarck has out forward his evolution theory which was named as Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics. As per his ideology, the acquired characteristics by living in a particular environment are transferred over to the later generations. The theory stated that the intriguing factors for such changes are the sudden fluctuation in the living habitat. It is to sustain in the environment that living things undergo changes by acquiring various characteristics.
The major characteristics of the Lamarckian evolution theory are that living things could pass the acquired characteristics to their younger generation. The coming generation would make more advanced adaptations to sustain in the existing environment. The best example to prove this theory was the elongated neck possessed by giraffes. It is to eat the leaves and vegetation from higher places that giraffes have acquired a very long neck. The same could be seen in every offspring of the giraffes.
To evaluate the process of evolution in an effective manner, Lamarck has proposed the below-given framework.
- “It is the inherent force of life that leads to the upsurge in the magnitude of living things in the environment. The increase hold over the food chain and its various dimensions is achieved by the organisms by the force of life.”
As per the first law of evolution put forward by Lamarck, the volume of organs keeps on increasing by the force of its life. It is the force of life that is still making it possible for many organisms to survive on earth. One of the major instances which proves the Lamarckian evolution theory is the elongated trunks of an elephant. As per his theory, elephants earlier held very small trunks. The requirement of consuming a large volume of vegetation has coerced to them to acquire the characteristics of longer trunks. Various species keep on adapting with the surroundings to survive on the planet.
- “The emergence of a new organ in a living being would only take place when there is a critical requirement for it. Such acquired organs or characteristics require regular biological maintenance from the body and keep on regenerating in the successors.”
It has been proposed by him in the theory that a particular organ is only introduced in an organism when it has to play a particular role in it. The new organs would help the organism to sustain in the new and changed surroundings. The same organs would be present in the younger generation of the organisms.
- It is the constant use of an organ which leads to the advanced development of it.
The specific framework in which a particular organ develops is being cleared in the third law of evolution by Lamarck. It is the persistent use of a particular organ that would bring further upgradations to it. Further advancement in the organs would help the living being in leading life in a much more comfortable way.
- In every crucial process like reproduction and genesis, the acquired characteristics are transferred via genetic matter. The major physiological changes would sustain in the successor, and it is based on this change that further up-gradation of the organ would take place.
It is in the fourth and last law that Lamarck has systematically elucidated the idea of heredity. The acquired characteristics are transferred by means of genetic messages to the new generation.
Darwin’s Evolution Theory
Though the overall idea of Darwin’s evolution theory was the same, his thesis was based on the different processes of analysis and ideology. The study conducted by Darwin reflects that each living being possesses a certain set of unique characteristics in itself. In the field of biology, Darwin’s evolution theory is generally termed as Natural selection. It is the individualistic adaptations and changes among some living beings that have enabled them to sustain and multiply at a faster rate than others. As per his theory, the specific physiological characteristics that are crucial in the survival of a living being gets upgraded generations after generations.
The theory of evolution put forward by Darwin was more authentic and acceptable to the scientific community. The theory of natural selection proposes that only specific beings with better characteristics would get a functional advantage in the environment. The species will not get perished in a hostile environment if it holds better survival features. This ideology was named by Darwin as the ‘survival of the fittest‘. The theory majorly proposes that only the organisms which have high adaptive power could sustain in the environment of earth. The species with less adaptive nature would be considered inferior and get wiped out because of an undomesticated environment.
In the below section of this article on Lamarck vs Darwin theory of evolution, various other theories of evolution are discussed. Let us have a detailed look over it.
Various theories of evolution
In the below section of Lamarck vs Darwin theory of evolution, there are noted down some of the major theories of evolution that prevailed in the contemporary era.
Synthetic theory of evolution
The theory is also termed as the Neo Darwinism in the discipline of biology. The concept was put forward by renowned scholar Huxley. He has mentioned the process of natural selection as the crucial factor for instigating evolution in a species. The population is focused as a focal point of evolution in the Synthetic theory of evolution. In the below section of this article on Lamarck vs Darwin theory of evolution, some of the evident features of the synthetic theory of evolution are listed down.
- Translocation of genes
- Gene Mutation
- Absence of gene block
- Numerical Chromosomal Mutation
We have published various articles on the related section of Lamarck vs Darwin theory of evolution. Go through them to get a better hold over the subject of evolution.
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