Hugo de Vries

Hugo de Vries (1848-1935) was a Dutch botanist and geneticist, best known for proposing the concept of genes, rediscovering the laws of heredity in the 1890s while unaware of Gregor Mendel's work, for introducing the term "mutation", and for developing a mutation theory of evolution.

Early Life and Education

Hugo de Vries was born on February 16, 1848, in Haarlem, Netherlands. He was the son of a lawyer and a mother who had an interest in nature and encouraged her son's scientific pursuits. De Vries attended the University of Leiden, where he studied botany.

Career

After completing his studies, de Vries became a professor at the University of Amsterdam. His early work was primarily in plant physiology, but he later turned his attention to heredity and evolution. He is best known for his mutation theory of evolution, which he developed after observing changes in the evening primrose, Oenothera lamarckiana.

Mutation Theory

De Vries proposed that new species are created by mutation, not gradual change, and that mutation creates these new species in a single step. This was a radical departure from the gradualism of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. De Vries's mutation theory, while not accepted in its entirety, was a key precursor to the modern synthesis of evolutionary theory.

Rediscovery of Mendel's Laws

In the late 1890s, de Vries, along with botanists Carl Correns and Erich von Tschermak, independently rediscovered the laws of heredity that Gregor Mendel had first outlined in the mid-19th century. De Vries's rediscovery of Mendel's laws and his work on mutation were key contributions to the development of genetics as a field of study.

Death and Legacy

De Vries died on May 21, 1935. His work has had a lasting impact on the field of genetics and the study of evolution. His mutation theory, while not accepted in its entirety, has been incorporated into the modern synthesis of evolutionary theory.

See Also

• Genetics
• Evolution
• Gregor Mendel
• Charles Darwin

References

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