synthetic theory of evolution | genetics - Encyclopedia Britannica

This theory distinguishes the basic processes of gene mutation and recombination, natural selection, changes in structure and number of chromosomes, and ... synthetictheoryofevolution TableofContents synthetictheoryofevolution References synthetictheoryofevolution genetics Actions Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/science/synthetic-theory-of-evolution Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/science/synthetic-theory-of-evolution Learnaboutthistopicinthesearticles:majorreferenceInevolution:ThesynthetictheoryTherediscoveryin1900ofMendel’stheoryofheredity,bytheDutchbotanistandgeneticistHugodeVriesandothers,ledtoanemphasisontheroleofheredityinevolution.DeVriesproposedanewtheoryofevolutionknownasmutationism,which…ReadMoreplaceinphilosophyofbiologyInphilosophyofbiology:Thespeciesproblem…ofthefoundersofthesynthetictheoryofevolution(seeaboveFormandfunction),especiallytheUkrainian-bornAmericangeneticistTheodosiusDobzhansky(1900–75)andtheGerman-bornAmericanbiologistErnstMayr(1904–2005).However,itencountersdifficultieswithasexualorganismsandwithindividualReadMoreInphilosophyofbiology:Thestructureofevolutionarytheory…facttheformulatorsofthesynthetictheoryofevolutionusedpopulationgeneticsinaverycasualandnon-formalwaytoachievetheirends.Asanornithologistandsystematicist,ErnstMayr,inhisSystematicsandtheOriginofSpecies(1942),hardlythoughtofhisworkasdeduciblefromtheprinciplesof…ReadMoreInphilosophyofbiology:TaxonomyWiththedevelopmentofthesynthetictheoryofevolutionintheearly20thcentury,classificationandphylogeny-tracingceasedtobepursuedfortheirownsake,butthetheoreticalandphilosophicalunderpinningsofclassification,knownassystematics,becameatopicofgreatinterest.ReadMoreStebbinsInGeorgeLedyardStebbins,Jr.…formulatingandapplyingthemodernsynthetictheoryofevolutiontohigherorganisms.Thistheorydistinguishesthebasicprocessesofgenemutationandrecombination,naturalselection,changesinstructureandnumberofchromosomes,andreproductiveisolation.ThepublicationofhisVariationandEvolutioninPlants(1950)establishedStebbinsasoneof…ReadMore