Why would things evolve?

Question

NOTE: Before reading this I just want you to know that i'm not trying to start an arugement, but I am looking for a real answer. Not one filled with opinion and hatred.

Many people who believe in evolution think that we most likely evolved from an organism that lived in the water. Water is such a stable environment with a constant food source. Why would something want to evolve and come onto land. .especailly since the temp. changes a lot and getting food becomes even harder? It doesn't make logical sense to me. .If an organism is suppose to evlove to help it reporoduce or live or whatever . .why would it change its environment in the first place. .Why not adapt to it?

Answer 1

An excellent question. I would assume that some organisms were very happy in the water but some started, randomly evolving characteristics that made them want to and able to explore other environments. Some of them found those other environments (land) useful.

I think the big principle is that organisms don't necessarily evolve because it is better. They evolve randomly and some get a survival advantage and some don't.

Answer 2

"Many people who believe in evolution think that we most likely evolved from an organism that lived in the water. Water is such a stable environment with a constant food source. Why would something want to evolve and come onto land. .especailly since the temp. changes a lot and getting food becomes even harder? It doesn't make logical sense to me. .If an organism is suppose to evlove to help it reporoduce or live or whatever . .why would it change its environment in the first place. .Why not adapt to it?"

The answer is quite easy. It is NOW. There are times when it would be hell to be a certain kind of critter, so you leave and go somewhere else. From the water, you have the option of going lower, and needing a more powerful body that will allow you to survive pressure, or higher, where you will eventually find land.

Water changes temperature too, as well as salinity, which can be deadly.

Because adaptation doesn't happen over night. If you're being hunted too much, or your temperature is too low you move away.

You= a portion of a species.

Answer 3

Your 'initial question' doesn't really match the stuff below--species that stayed in the water didn't stop evolving. That was just a point where a split happened.

In fact, it's interesting to learn that species like whales and dolphins are species that started out in the water, came to land, then went back to the water. I'm not an expert, so I wouldn't be able to plainly tell you 'why,' but you could always seek an expert's opinion, or crack open some college-level (at least) biology texts.

Answer 4

Evolution is a response to environmental pressure. The first land creatures were modified fish, which had trouble surviving in the tide pools which were their original habitat. (Drought and food supply would be issues.) Although the mutations that are responsible for evolution take place at a nearly constant rate, if there is no environmental pressure for a species to change, it will not do so -- at least visibly. Invisible changes, to promote strength, organ function, and resistance to disease and predators would continue, of course.

Answer 5

No individual of a species 'wants' to evolve. Evolution happens slowly over time to as species is adapts. A species might adapt to because a mutation allows it a new few source. Or a species might adapt because its food source is becoming scarce. No species adapted in just one step of evolution from living purely in water (i.e. a fish-like animal) to living purely on land (a mammal or reptile-like animal). Instead, a large population of species adapted to live on the fringe, both in and out of water: amphibians. Eventually some amphibians adapted to be purely land animals: reptiles.

Actually, I'm being a little lazy with my descriptions. Check out the link below, and look at the split from Tetrapoda to Reptiliomorpha and Amphibia. Today's amphibians and reptiles share a common ancestor: tetrapods. We too share that ancestor, since mammals share ancestors with reptiles.

Answer 6

You can't think so lineraly. Evolution happened over so many lifetimes its really hard to cram it in slow motion.
Temp changes and food could be the EXACT reason they came on land. Who knows. I wasn't there any more then you were. You can't try to understand science if you are being literal with religion. You can't understand it that way.
Once again, I will say this until I just copy and paste, science just tells how the Gods did it. It doesn't take away from the fact that they DID. I just don't see why people fight it so hard on his. Both sides are right.

Answer 7

You do not have to 'believe' in evolution, the thousands of pieces of evidence, and next to complete scientific consensus, make belief a bad term here.

If you are interested in what is known about the mechanisms of evolution, I would try the science section. The principle is there was an advantage at that time in history for organisms to survive in their competing environment(s).

Answer 8

Well, from what I learned in my Microbiology class, microorganisms don't necessary all evolve from water. Many organisms are able to evolve resistance to ever-changing environments due to going through random mutations, existing in a diverse environment, and through the organisms ability to use quorum sensing to survive changing environments.

Answer 9

Environmental changes are a huge factor in how quickly organisms evolve. Overcrowding, large populations, decreasing food sources, temp changes, any of these things could lead to life getting out of the ocean. We see it even today - mudskippers are doing the same thing we did a billion years ago.

Answer 10

a creature would want to evolve because of environmental changes that makes its survival in a certain area of life, be it protection, travel, food, etc. more difficult. That is, the organism doesn't wake up one morning and says "hey, i want to grow legs and walk on water" but rather, over generations, it is forced to change. The same question could be applied to humans as per why we are getting taller and tanner.