Lamarck's ideas on evolution were adopted by some Russian scientists, including Michurin and Lysenko in Stalinist Russia. Their textbooks printed Lysenko's assertions that a wheat plant could be made cold-hardy by conditioning in cold storage, or that workmen who develop strong muscles would produce children who were stronger. Which of the major premises of evolution by natural selection was violated?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lamarckian evolution, as described by Michurin and Lysenko, violates the premise that natural selection acts on variations that are already available in the population's gene pool. Lamarckian evolution is based on the idea that traits acquired during an individual's lifetime can be passed down to their offspring, which goes against the understanding that genetic variation must exist prior to selection.

Lamarck's Ideas on Evolution Were Adopted by Some Russian Scientists