Theories of evolution

Theory of inheritance of acquired characters is known as Lamarckism. Basic postulates of Lamarckism: 4 postulates 1. Growth: Living organisms and their component parts tend to increase in size continuously. 2. New organs as the result of need: Formation of new organ or a part in the body is the result of the new need continuously felt by the organism. 3. Use and disuse: Continuous and constant use strengthens the organ, while disuse results in its degeneration. 4. Inheritance of acquired characters: All changes, which organisms acquire during their life time Transmitted to their offspring by the process of inheritance Organisms change to adapt to their local environment so the environment alters the organisms phenotype the information about phenotype change passes from the somatic cells to the reproductive cells of the body (gametes) to the offspring. Evidences in favor of Lamarckism: 1. Giraffes neck: Lamarck believed ------- Stretching the giraffes neck to reach the leaves on tall tree This information about neck stretching was transmitted in some way to gametes Offspring acquired long neck as a permanent trait This trait passed thereafter generation to generation 2. Feet of modern horse: Ancestors of modern horse lived in soft ground in jungles and they were browsers Later they had to graze on hard grass, as those jungles were replaced by dry grassy plains So they inherited the changes: premolars & molars reduction in number of digits lengthening of legs foot was gradually changed to unguligrade from plantigrade suited for swift running over hard ground.

Ancestors of snakes possessed short limbs The continuous creeping through holes and crevices made the limbs continuously useless for locomotion The limbs were completely lost in snakes 4. Some other examples: the presence of both eyes on one side of the body of flat fish (deep sea fish), reduced eyes in moles, presence of vestigial organs in animals, callosities of palm in hard workers, webbed feet in swimming birds, etc.

3. Loss of limbs in snakes:

Criticism of Lamarckism: The greatest blow to the Lamarckian theory came from August Weismann (1890). He kept on cutting off the tail of rats for nearly 20 generations, but he could not find tailless rats. A blacksmith develops powerful biceps by continued use of his arms, but they are not inherited by his offspring. By shaving throughout our life we can not produce a beardless son. Boring of ears and nostrils has continued for centuries among Indian women, but their offspring do not show any trace of holes in their ears and nostrils. Women in China wear iron shoes to reduce their feet to a short size, but their young ones had the normal feet when they born. Circumcision in Jews and Muslims is an age-old custom, yet it has no hereditary effect upon the concerned organ. These examples reveal that acquired characters affect only the body and are entirely somatic. They do not affect the germ cells, so they cannot be transmitted to the next generation. Neo-Lamarckism: It has been shown in recent years that environment can influence genes So, faith has been revived in Lamarckian theory Tower has shown that under abnormal conditions of moisture and temperature potato beetles produce offspring which differed markedly from their parents. These changes were inherited in the next generation. It has been reported that when rough, non-type specific forms of type II pneumococci were exposed to the extracts of dead smooth type III pneumococci, the former changed into smooth type III pneumococci. ( According to Lamarckism, these acquired characters result from needs, whereas neo-Lamarckism postulates that these characters are induced due to environment and habit).