Charles Darwin's Chapter Summary

In this chapter, Darwin begins by how he is appalled by the lack of a defined term for species. He asks whether variation found in natural species can be analogous to similar variations found in the domesticated species. He relates this point by discussing domestication monstrosities involving pigs. Darwin defines monstrosities as variations that transpire in the natural world that are useless, and in some instances, inauspicious and harmful to the organism caused by reproduction creating individual differences (Darwin 1859 Pg. 27).Thus; variation alone does not define a different species. In addition, he acknowledges that there are variations in Mother Nature, and influenced by the environmental conditions (legs of domesticated ducks versus …show more content…
The dominant species being larger population will be more advantageous to survive compared to an “insignificant” species, due to the greater variation in the population. Darwin described the experiment in which he grew two plant species one of each a dominant and the more cryptic species. As expected, his findings supported theory of the dominant species being more likely to survive than the cryptic species (Darwin 1859 Pg. 32, 36). Therefore, the dominant species were more advantageous to survive (compare to the lesser-known species) by having a greater population, which creates more diversity between individuals. This allowing some to survive by having different traits. These different traits provides some individual the tools need to survive in changing environments, allowing for the survival of the species as a whole. He also uses this study to refute the claims of creationism, although he does not use that term. For example, he mentions “separate act of creation.” on page 31 of On the Origin of Species. This is a valid argument because there would be no difference for variation between the two groups if the hands of God directly did