History Experimental evolution

this chihuahua mix , great dane show wide range of dog breed sizes created using artificial selection.

unwittingly, humans have carried out evolution experiments long have been domesticating plants , animals. selective breeding of plants , animals has led varieties differ dramatically original wild-type ancestors. examples cabbage varieties, maize, or large number of different dog breeds. power of human breeding create varieties extreme differences single species recognized charles darwin. in fact, started out book origin of species chapter on variation in domestic animals. in chapter, darwin discussed in particular pigeon.

altogether @ least score of pigeons might chosen, if shown ornithologist, , told wild birds, certainly, think, ranked him well-defined species. moreover, not believe ornithologist place english carrier, short-faced tumbler, runt, barb, pouter, , fantail in same genus; more in each of these breeds several truly-inherited sub-breeds, or species might have called them, shown him. (...) convinced common opinion of naturalists correct, namely, have descended rock-pigeon (columba livia), including under term several geographical races or sub-species, differ each other in trifling respects.

early

drawing of incubator used dallinger in evolution experiments.

one of first carry out controlled evolution experiment william dallinger. in late 19th century, cultivated small unicellular organisms in custom-built incubator on time period of 7 years (1880–1886). dallinger increased temperature of incubator initial 60 °f 158 °f. cultures had shown clear signs of distress @ temperature of 73 °f, , not capable of surviving @ 158 °f. organisms dallinger had in incubator @ end of experiment, on other hand, fine @ 158 °f. however, these organisms no longer grow @ initial 60 °f. dallinger concluded had found evidence darwinian adaptation in incubator, , organisms had adapted live in high-temperature environment. dallinger s incubator accidentally destroyed in 1886, , dallinger not continue line of research.

from 1880s 1980, experimental evolution intermittently practiced variety of evolutionary biologists, including highly influential theodosius dobzhansky. other experimental research in evolutionary biology during period, of work lacked extensive replication , carried out relatively short periods of evolutionary time.