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Analyzing Darwin's On The Origin Of Species

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According to Darwin’s novel book On the Origin of Species, he postulates his own “theory of evolution”. Here, Darwin proposes that natural selection is the driving factor that leads to the evolution of species. Only the fittest and most suitable to adapt to the all-changing environment will survive. This seems counter-intuitive to the fact that it does require more energy to be ambulatory on land rather than being mobile in water. But, the overall evolutionary gain from being mobile on land versus water justifies this expenditure of energy. Three things to be considered adaptations mammals have taken on to support this move from aquatics to land include: body thermoregulation, circulatory system changes, and advancement and complexity of internal …show more content…

This means they must rely on external factors for metabolic and physical activity, a huge disadvantage when in the context of an immediate threat or the need to displace one’s self into a new environment with non-optimal outside conditions. For this reason, we see these creatures remain in one location with a relatively small range of temperature fluctuation for optimal organism activity. Meanwhile, the evolutionary advantages of being a warm-blooded animal, as mammals are, arguably outweigh the disadvantages, i.e. higher energy intake. This allows for mammals to generate energy (heat) internally. Being warm-blooded is a huge evolutionary advantage because it allows these organisms to have a constant and consistent reservoir of energy, resulting in a very “active” behavior. Walking on land is one example of when being warm-blooded is a relative advantage in most situations. With this constant active lifestyle, mammals can hunt in a wider range of temperatures and escape to newer, perhaps beneficial, environments. This also eliminates the need for “resting” or being inactive when external situations are non-optimal, as we see with cold-blooded

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