Darwin's Postulates
Ana Sofía Garza
The Four Postulates
- Potential for a species to increase in number
- Inheritance of individuals in a species dure to mutation and sexual reproduction
- Competition for limited resources
- Proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment
1. Potential for a species to increase in number
When food is abundant and growing conditions are favorable, a population has the potential to increase in number from generation to generation. The larger a population gets the faster it grows.
2. Inheritance of individuals in a species due to mutation and sexual reproduction
Genetic variation is important because it allows natural selection to increase or decrease the frequency of alleles already in a population. Genetic variation can be caused by mutations, random mating, random fertilization, and recombination between homologous chromosomes during meiosis. Genetic variation it helps a population because it enables some individuals to adapt to the environment.
3. Competition for limited resources
It is a negative interaction that occurs among organisms whenever these two require the same limited resources. All organisms require to grow, reproduce and survive. However, they cannot acquire these resources when other organisms consume or defend the resource. Competitor reduce each other's growth, reproduction and survival.
4. Proliferation of those organisms that are better able to survive and reproduce in the environment
If an organism has a trait that can survive and be able to reproduce, it will most likely survive and reproduce. If this tends to happen, then more of the organisms with the helpful survival trait will move toward the next generations.
Bibliography
Berkeley (n.d) "Introduction to Ecological Genetics." Retrieved from http://ib.berkeley.edu/courses/ib162/Week1.htm of April 4, 2016.
Biology Reference (2016) "Competition". Advameg. Retrieved from http://www.biologyreference.com/Ce-Co/Competition.html of April 4, 2016.
NC State University (2016). "Population Dynamics" General Entomology. Retrieved from https://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/library/tutorials/ecology/popn_dyn.html of April 4, 2016.
NECSI (n.d). "Evolution". Retrieved from http://necsi.edu/projects/evolution/evolution/5parts/evolution_5parts.html of April 4, 2016