Punctuated equilibrium — is a theory of evolutionary biology which states that most sexually reproducing populations experience little change for most of their geological history, and that when phenotypic evolution does occur, it is localized in rare, rapid events of… … Wikipedia
Gradualism — is the belief that changes occur, or ought to occur, slowly in the form of gradual steps (see also incrementalism)Politics and societyIn politics, the concept of gradualism is used to describe the belief that change ought to be modified in small … Wikipedia
Punctuated equilibrium — Der Punktualismus (englisch Punctuated equilibrium, im Jargon abgekürzt Punk Eek) ist eine von den amerikanischen Paläontologen Niles Eldredge und Stephen Jay Gould erstmals 1972 vorgestellte Theorie zur Erklärung von diskontinuierlichen… … Deutsch Wikipedia
gradualism — noun Date: 1835 1. the policy of approaching a desired end by gradual stages 2. the evolution of new species by gradual accumulation of small genetic changes over long periods of time; also a theory or model of evolution emphasizing this compare… … New Collegiate Dictionary
punctuated equilibrium — noun Date: 1978 evolution that is characterized by long periods of stability in the characteristics of an organism and short periods of rapid change during which new forms appear especially from small subpopulations of the ancestral form in… … New Collegiate Dictionary
gradualism — evolution with slow and steady rates of change as opposed to punctuated equilibrium, q.v … Dictionary of ichthyology
punctuated equilibrium — evolution in rapid bursts followed by long periods without change as opposed to gradualism, q.v … Dictionary of ichthyology
gradualism — gradualist, n., adj. gradualistic, adj. /graj ooh euh liz euhm/ n. 1. the principle or policy of achieving some goal by gradual steps rather than by drastic change. 2. Philos. a theory maintaining that two seemingly conflicting notions are not… … Universalium
punctuated equilibrium — theory of, Biol. a hypothesis holding that the evolution of species proceeds in a characteristic pattern of relative stability for long periods of time interspersed with much shorter periods during which many species become extinct and new… … Universalium
punctuated evolution — Model of evolution in which species are relatively stable and long lived, and in which new species appear during concentrated outbursts of rapid speciation followed by differential success of some of those species. Cf. phyletic gradualism … Expanded glossary of Cycad terms
