Contributing Ideas from Lamarck, Lyell and Malthus that helped shape Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

Jean Baptiste de Lamarck Lamarck recognized that living things change over time and were somehow adapted to their environments. However, Lamarck’s explanation of how adaptation occurred have 3 assumptions that we now know is incorrect: Organisms have an inborn urge to better themselves and become more fit for their environment Organisms change their body structures by using their bodies in new ways and other structures become smaller if not used Traits that were acquired by an animal during its lifetime could be inherited by (or passed on to) its offspring

Charles Lyell The earth is very old. The earth has changed over time. Darwin thought that if the earth itself can change over time, life could also change over long periods of time. The long periods it would take for different species to evolve from a common ancestor would only happen if the Earth was very old.

Thomas Malthus Malthus observed that more babies were being born at a faster rate than people dying and that if unchecked there would not be enough space & food resources for everyone. Endless population growth is prevented by famine, disease and war. Darwin realized that the Malthusian doctrine also applied to plants and animals. Many organisms do not survive and only a few survive to produce offspring.