Question

Compare and contrast Lamarck's and Darwin's theories of change over time.36a. What are the similarities? What are the differences?B. Why do scientists find Darwin's theory more convincing? 37 2. Explain why earthworms are beige or brown and not green3839a. Using Darwin's theory of natural selection.B. Using Lamarck's theory of change. 3. Explain whether Darwin's theory or Lamarck's theory is a better explanation for your results in the previous activity, "Hiding in the Background." Hint: Be sure to cite evidence from the activity.

Answer 1

Answer:

See explanation

Explanation:

Lanark proposed a theory of evolution hinged on use and disuse of body parts. This is a theory that upholds the transfer of acquired traits to offsprings. Darwin's theory of evolution was rather based on natural selection or 'survival of the fittest'. Darwin's theory has more evidence backing it compared to Lamarck's theory. The field of genetics which appeared long after Darwin's death confirmed that inherited traits are indeed passed from parents to offsprings. These inherited traits are usually those that give organisms an edge over others in their environment.

Earthworms are brown and not green or beige because, the brown earthworms have the same colour as the soil and are better enabled to escape from predators. From Darwin's theory, the brown earthworms are the 'fittest' hence they survive in their environment. Lamarck's theory may approach the matter from the point that earthworms move with their bodies on the soil more frequently, hence they 'acquired' the brown colour and passed it on to their offspring.

From the activity, "Hiding in the Background", individual worms spent their entire life cycle in either green or beige colour. Their colour didn't change as a result of the environment where they lived, rather the green earthworms were more in number, not particularly because of any specific changes the earthworms themselves had undergone, but because most of their predators concentrated on eating the beige worms. As a result of this, there were many green worms when the next generation began compared to the number of beige worms. Hence, there were more green earthworms.