Reactions to On the Origin of Species which all forms of evolutionism were identified with Darwinism. For a description of Darwin's life, work and influences in the following period see the article: Darwin from Orchids to Variation. Note: this article uses Desmond and Moore, "Darwin", as a general reference. Other references used for specific points or quotations. Reactions to On the Origin of Species The immediate reactions to "On the Origin of Species", the book in which Charles Darwin described evolution by natural selection, included international debate, though the heat of controversy was less than that over earlier works such as "Vestiges of Creation". Darwin monitored the
Genetics and the Origin of Species variation would allow populations to evolve rapidly as environmental conditions change. This book was a landmark in the evolutionary synthesis, as it presented the union of Mendelian genetics and Darwinian theory. In "Genetics and the Origin of Species", polyploidy is considered as a type of mutation. Polyploid cells have a chromosome number that is more than twice the haploid number. The effects of polyploidy between two different species causes hybridization and even greater evolution. Natural selection in an environment produces reproductive success, which benefits the species. Speciation is a process of evolution through which new biological species are formed. Dobzhansky