Question

Thomas Malthus was an economist who influenced Darwin's developing theory of evolution. Malthus observed that the birthrate among humans exceeded the death rate. If this trend continued, soon there would not be enough resources to support human population growth. He reasoned that the only things capable of stopping human population growth were famine, disease, and war. Darwin applied this thinking to animals and plants as well, noting that far more offspring were produced than survived to a reproductive age. 2. How did Charles Darwin build on the work of Thomas Malthus to develop the idea of evolution by natural selection

Answer 1

Charles Darwin applied Thomas Malthus's observations on exponential human population growth and limited resources to the natural world, developing the concept of evolution by natural selection where organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Step-by-step explanation:

Charles Darwin was significantly influenced by the ideas of Thomas Malthus, an English clergyman, and economist, in developing his theory of evolution by natural selection. Malthus's observations of exponential growth in human populations and the consequent struggle for resources due to slower food production increases, helped Darwin realize a similar process occurring in nature.

Darwin understood that in any given environment, more offspring are produced than can survive, leading to a struggle for existence. Those with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits on to subsequent generations.

This mechanism of differential survival and reproduction, termed natural selection, is the core of Darwin's evolutionary theory. It explains the adaptation of organisms to their environment over time and the emergence of new species. The connection between the Malthusian concept of population growth versus resource limits and Darwin's concept of the survival of the fittest illustrates a pivotal moment in scientific understanding of biological diversity.

Answer 2

The work of Thomas Malthus help and influence Darwin Thomas to refine his theory of natural selection by explaining that there is a meaningful competition between the individuals of a particular species or population for a specific resource such as food or shelter.

Thomas Malthus predicted that the human population is reproducing faster than its death race and will lead to growing faster than space and food supplies needed to sustain it. Darwin concluded further that If all offspring of almost any species survived for several generations, they would overrun the world and therefore a healthy and meaningful competition is present and to overcome this natural selection takes place as the individual adapt will ultimately survive.