Lamarck's Theory: The Four Types Of Evolution

Evolution is defined as the gradual development of organisms from a simple form to a more complex form or as decent with modification from a common ancestor. Evolution can be seen in two ways as a process and a pattern. The process of evolution consists of the mechanisms that produce the observed pattern of change (ie. The natural cause of the patterns we see). The pattern of change in evolution is found in the geology chemistry and even physics disciplines. Evolution is what we use to describe all the diversity that we see around us, it occurs over many generations and is used to explain how organisms have developed and diversified from earlier forms throughout the history of the earth. (Campbell. Et al 2008)

Unlike Lamarck’s theory – That

The fossil record provides clear evidence supporting evolution, it is an accurate way to look back at the past, and Darwin drew many ideas of evolution and natural selection from the work of paleontologists, (Campbell Et al 2008). Many fossils are found in sedimentary rocks formed from fine sands and mud that settles on the bottom of lakes and swamps, over time these layers accumulate and compress turning it into layers of rocks called strata. These strata can be used to identify time periods via carbon dating to determine how old they are.

Why important? types of fossils

There are four types of fossils:

Mold fossils- this is an impression that is made within the substrate, usually a negative image of the organism. Cast fossils are the opposite to mold fossils because they are molds that have been filled in. Trace fossils or ichnofossils are things such as footprints or nests that have been fossilized. Last but not least true form fossils are fossils of the actual animal or a part of the animal.

How they can form

Fossils are formed in a number of ways that organisms can turn into fossils:

Freezing, as the name suggests this is when an organism is frozen and kept at sub zero temperature for prolonged time. It is a very rare form of preservation and is limited to organisms that are found in cold areas, this seems to be a reliable method of fossilization as the organisms are so well preserved that they can be found with flesh skin and hair still