evoluties

Evoluties, in Dutch, is the plural of evolutie and commonly used to refer to the process of evolution. In English, the term evolution denotes the process by which populations of organisms change over generations, driven by descent with modification. Biological evolution is supported by a large body of evidence and provides a unifying framework for the diversity of life on Earth.

The core mechanisms of evolution include natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow. Natural selection acts on heritable variation, increasing the frequency of traits that enhance reproductive success. Mutation introduces new genetic variation. Genetic drift causes random changes in allele frequencies, especially in small populations. Gene flow transfers genetic material between populations, potentially altering allele frequencies.

Over time, these processes can lead to microevolution within species and macroevolution across species, including speciation, the formation of new species. The fossil record, comparative anatomy, biogeography, and modern genomics offer converging evidence for evolutionary histories and relationships, including common descent.

Historically, Darwin and Wallace proposed natural selection as a mechanism, which was later integrated with genetics in the modern synthesis. Some researchers advocate an extended evolutionary synthesis that emphasizes developmental processes, epigenetics, and evolvability as additional factors.

Common misconceptions include the idea that evolution has a fixed direction or goal, that it directly aims to produce humans, or that individuals evolve during their lifetimes. Evolution acts on populations over generations, not on individuals.