Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Biology

Chapter

Evolution

Question:

What are the two key concepts of Darwinian theory of evolution.?

Options:

Use and disuse of organs

Inheritance of acquired characters

Natural selections and branching descent

Natural selection

Correct Answer:

Natural selections and branching descent

Explanation:

The two key concepts of the Darwinian theory of evolution are:

  1. Natural Selection: This is the central concept of Darwinian evolution. Natural selection is the process by which organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those advantageous traits on to their offspring. Over time, this process can lead to the accumulation of adaptations that are well-suited to the environment, resulting in the gradual change of species.

  2. Branching Descent: Darwin proposed that all species of life on Earth are connected through a common ancestry, and the diversity of life has arisen through a process of branching descent. This means that species share a common ancestor, and as they evolve, they diverge into different lineages, forming a branching tree of life.

The concepts of "Use and disuse of organs" and "Inheritance of acquired characters" were part of Lamarck's theory of evolution, not Darwin's. Darwin's theory, as outlined above, revolutionized our understanding of how species change over time.