Evolution Vs Progress: Definition, Types And Comparison

The origin of life forms on planet earth, their evolution, and how biodiversity continues to thrive are explained by various theories. The surroundings have drastically changed over millions of years hinting at a history of life forms that have made the earth their home. The origin of the universe is based on the Big Bang Theory which explains the formation of our solar system and the milky way galaxy. Earth is believed to have been formed much later (about 4.5 million years ago). Gradually, the ozone layer was formed and as the conditions turned favorable, oceans and life-forms dependent on it began to exist. Numerous other theories like that from the early Greeks also suggest life has come from Spores. Let us understand some important aspects of the evolution of life-forms on earth and get an insight into the diversity of this biodiversity.

Key Takeaways: Evolution, Progress, Biodiversity, Charles Darwin, Natural Selection, Convergent, Divergent, Reverse, Forces of Evolution

Also Read: Reproductive Health

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Understanding Evolution

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The theory of evolution suggests that an old species of a particular life form undergoes changes in its physical characteristics over several generations. These changes are not predetermined but are based on the environment in which the organism species thrive over their lifetime. However, the following three connotations form the basis for this theory.

1. All species of organisms are related to each other and the change occurs gradually over time.
2. Evolution solely depends on the variation caused by genes in a particular organism population which further affects the physical property of the organism.
3. Some of these characteristics make one individual of the population have an advantage over the other. These traits further get transferred to the offspring.

The evolution trend in the species was first explained by Charles Darwin to be based on the ‘theory of natural selection.’

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Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution

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This theory forms a solid base for evolution seen in the various life forms on earth. Organisms evolve from inheriting some of their physical or behavioral traits. Let us consider a population, The individuals in this population have varied traits. Some survive and adapt to the environmental changes and the others do not. Sometimes, the key traits that facilitated survival are carried over onto the next generation of the species. The lesser adaptive individuals have lesser survival rates causing them to eventually reduce in number. The population becomes richer in individuals and their offspring possessing traits like changes in skin color, or modification of certain body parts that help them adapt to the changing environmental conditions. 

Thus genetically modified individuals could be formed from a common ancestor and this happens very gradually where the changes accumulate over time, sometimes creating entirely new species.

A classic example is that of the evolution of whales from land to marine animals. The tail flukes, absence of the front and hind limbs, nostrils above their head are all a result of this gradual evolution. The present species of whales hence do not have to come out onto the surface of the water to breathe.

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Types of Evolution

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Environmental factors and predation pressures form the basis for evolution. Adapting to changes for survival, narrowed down the population of ancestral species thereby forming a new population with more frequent survival traits. Let us now look at some of the evolution types observed across different life forms.

1. Convergent Evolution

A flying insect, bird, and bat are classic examples of this type of evolution. We see that all these three species have evolved the ability to fly but do not have a common ancestor. Species that share their traits owing to similar environmental conditions where they thrive for survival but have varied ancestry come under the category of convergently evolving species.

2. Divergent Evolution

A human arm, a bat’s wing, and a whale’s fin are all limbs that perform varied functions. All the three species have however evolved from a common ancestor which had these bone structures. This is divergent evolution. Two or more species share a common ancestor but become increasingly different over time.

3. Co-evolution

We see flowering plants evolve in terms of their leaf and flower shapes, color, and sizes. Accordingly, pollinating insects like bees evolve too. This is a classic example of co-evolution where two different species evolve alongside each other and one adapts to the changes in the other.

4. Adaptive Radiation

Darwin’s finches or the finches from Galapagos islands have evolved with different beak shapes over time. This is an example of adaptive radiation. One species splits its physical characteristics into many newer forms when a new resource becomes available in the environment or a new challenge is created.

Four species of Darwin’s Finches on the Galapagos islands show variation in beak

5. Reverse Evolution

Penguins have become flightless birds. Snake species have lost legs. These are examples of reverse evolution. These species have adapted and evolved with traits that are reduced from their ancestors or are no longer needed.

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Evolution vs Porgress

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Evolution in basic terms is a gradual process that accumulates changes and is dependent on environmental conditions like temperature, climate, etc. Progress, however, is advancement through a series of events or developments occurring through time. This is independent of the environmental factors.

All species must be capable of adapting to their niche. Sometimes their existing body structures pose a hindrance and thus their survival falls at risk. This is where the evolution process gets initiated. The ancestral species start becoming defective as existing environmental conditions turn unfavorable to them. This modification cannot be mistaken as progress. This is the organism adapting to the modification as demanded by its surrounding. The genes thus play a very important role in variation which becomes the primary factor for evolution. The organism now has a better probability to survive thereby preventing its extinction.

Progress, on the other hand, is upgrading of levels wherein the next level is better than the previous one. Let us take the example of Humans and Chimpanzees. It will be wrong to say that humans have evolved from chimpanzees or that humans are more evolved than chimpanzees. Both these species have a common ancestor who may or may not look like a chimpanzee. Thus these two species only have common traits but are not evolved from one another.

When the body design gets altered, one should not confuse it with progress. This would indicate that many organisms which exist now would not have due to natural selection. Bacteria is a unicellular and prokaryotic organism that is found almost everywhere and can survive even the harshest conditions. However, humans on the other hand have their limitations owing to their body design. The bacteria are far more advanced and can even develop resistance in comparison to humans.

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Things to Remember

• Evolution is a gradual generational change in the physical attributes of a species in response to environmental conditions it thrives in.
• Darwin’s theory of natural selection forms the basis for the evolution of living forms on eath.
• According to the theory of natural selection, organisms evolve by inheriting certain physical or behavioral traits that help them in surviving and adapt to the environment.
• Evolution is classified as convergent, divergent, co-evolution, adaptive radiation, and reverse evolution.
• Evolution does not imply elimination but it is related to one species arising from another existing species. The new versions may or may not be better than the old ones.
• Progress is an up-gradation or an advancement in levels that takes place within a species. It is independent of the environmental factors surrounding a species and causes one population to be better than the other.
• Natural selection, speciation, and genetic drift have played key roles in shaping the biodiversity on earth.