The evolutionary term descent with modification is most often
associated with human evolution, but it is actually a more
general term than that would suggest. Simply put, descent with
modification means that traits are passed down from generation
to generation and sometimes undergo changes or modifications
over time. These changes may be caused by Natural Selection or
even a mutation of DNA. The term became popular when Charles
Darwin used it in his book The Descent of Man. Since the term
was used in conjunction with his idea that humans were related
ancestrally to primates, the term descent with modification has
become synonymous with the human lineage on the tree of life.
However, this is only part of the actual meaning of the term. On
a microevolution level, descent with modification would indicate
a change in DNA that leads to a new or different adaptation that
could be favorable for a species in that given environment. On a
macroevolution level, this term would describe how a species has
changed over tim