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The word phyletic derives from the Greek φυλετικός phūletikos, which conveys the meaning of a line of descent. [2] Phyletic gradualism contrasts with the theory of punctuated equilibrium, which proposes that most evolution occurs isolated in rare episodes of rapid evolution, when a single species splits into two distinct species, followed by a long period of stasis or non-change.
Evolutionary biology is the subfield of biology that studies the evolutionary processes such as natural selection, common descent, and speciation that produced the diversity of life on Earth.
Also called functionalism. The Darwinian view that many or most physiological and behavioral traits of organisms are adaptations that have evolved for specific functions or for specific reasons (as opposed to being byproducts of the evolution of other traits, consequences of biological constraints, or the result of random variation). adaptive radiation The simultaneous or near-simultaneous ...
It is the point in space where the final approach segment begins on an instrument approach. The final approach point is a point on a non-precision approach and is marked by a maltese cross symbol. In the United States, where the approach navigation aid is on the field and there is no symbol depicted, the final approach point is "where the ...
Evolutionary progress as a tree of life. Ernst Haeckel, 1866 Lamarck's two-factor theory involves 1) a complexifying force that drives animal body plans towards higher levels (orthogenesis) creating a ladder of phyla, and 2) an adaptive force that causes animals with a given body plan to adapt to circumstances (use and disuse, inheritance of acquired characteristics), creating a diversity of ...
Also known as descent with modification. Over time these evolutionary processes lead to formation of new species ( speciation ), changes within lineages ( anagenesis ), and loss of species ( extinction ).
Evolutionary taxonomy, evolutionary systematics or Darwinian classification is a branch of biological classification that seeks to classify organisms using a combination of phylogenetic relationship (shared descent), progenitor-descendant relationship (serial descent), and degree of evolutionary change.
Reticulate evolution refers to evolutionary processes which cannot be successfully represented using a classical phylogenetic tree model, [25] as it gives rise to rapid evolutionary change with horizontal crossings and mergings often preceding a pattern of vertical descent with modification. [26]