ABSTRACT
To understand and answer many of the questions that dinosaurs elicit, it is important to consider them in the context of evolutionary theory. This chapter begins by describing Darwin’s tenets of evolution, the modes of natural selection, and changes in populations. The driving forces of evolutionary change are covered, along with the concepts of microevolution, speciation, and macroevolution, using famous examples like Archaeopteryx and the evolution of the horses. The two models for the rates of evolutionary change, gradualism and punctuated equilibrium, are discussed. The chapter ends with a summary of the evidence supporting the theory of evolution and the concept that all life evolved from a common ancestor.
