Lamarck Vs Darwin

'Lamarck and Darwin were naturalists who theorised the evolution of species' characteristics. They arrived at some common conclusions, but also differed in certain important respects. We can illustrate their similarities and differences by considering the nature o
Lamarck’s theory in relation to the evolution of species characteristics to explain the relationship that exists between a living being and the environment they live in. Through his observations, he observed that if a living being is to exist in harmony with their habitat, they must be able to adapt to the changing conditions in that environment. (Barrow, John D. 1995 pg.’s 2, 3) This means that any significant change in the habitat of an organism would force them to acquire new skills and learn new behaviours in order to survive. Unlike Darwin, Lamarck’s theory states that if these skills or behaviours are not reinforced by “repeated exercise, their counterparts will eventually wither away and fall into disuse.” (Barrow, John D. 1995 pg. 3) …show more content…
On one hand if a hawk can adapt to change in the environment by developing keener eyesight when looking for prey, this will give them a competitive edge and allow them to hunt more efficiently by spotting prey more quickly than rival hawks. However, if a hawk’s eyesight is not so good, this may mean that they will miss out on the chance to catch their prey. If this happens this will often lead to deterioration in eyesight due to a lack food available. Ultimately, the underlying belief behind Lamarck’s theory is that due to changes in the environment, living beings aim to evolve towards the most “perfect and harmonious structural forms.”(Barrow, John D. 1995 pg.