Gradualism Vs Punctuated Equilibrium Theory Essay

Both phyletic gradualism and punctuated equilibrium are both speciation theories and are valid models for understanding evolution. Both theories describe the rates of speciation. For Gradualism, changes in species is slow and gradual, occurring in small periodic changes in the gene pool, whereas for Punctuated Equilibrium, evolution occurs in spurts of relatively rapid change with long periods of non-change. At this time, neither hypothesis is considered more correct than the other.

Gradualism depicts evolution as a slow and steady process in which organisms change slowly over time. In contrast, the punctuated equilibrium theory displays evolution as long periods of stasis followed by drastic change. Both models have their place in science, as one theory may explain speciation for a certain topic better than the other, and sometimes both are acceptable answers. For example, punctuated equilibrium is more complete explanation of the patterns of the gaps found in fossil records, whereas gradualism explains the slow change of the actual fossils instead.

Phyletic gradualism, as proposed by Charles Darwin, is made up of these essential features;
Natural selection gradually changes the average features of a species by removing less fit individuals from the breeding pool.
If this process continues long enough, a single species …show more content…
Life on earth was made up only of single-celled organisms that evolved extremely slowly and in a linear fashion. A more common example of this is the evolution of humans throughout a long history of ancient man. Instead of fast advancements and spontaneous spurts of rapid evolution, hominini followed a gradual pattern of evolution. This is shown by the existing fossil record that shows slow and steady evolution over a long period of time, from Australopithecus ramidus some 4 million years ago, to current homo sapiens. Although the fossil record is

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Gradualism Vs Punctuated Equilibrium Theory Essay

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