When I was young, I enjoyed reading the works of Gregory Bateson, especially his nice compilation of essays: Steps To An Ecology Of Mind.
Bateson often and centrally discussed the second law of thermodynamics.
If one is interested in the topic, I would recommend his works (however must say, Bateson is the only author I have read who discussed the matter, given I do not read much).
Bateson would say there are two forces at work in the universe, that of orderliness and that of entropy.
If we look at evolution (which I have never studied), I think we can see it is a history of things evolving and degenerting and new things evolving out of that degeneration. Therefore, as Bateson would say, entropy or the second law of thermodynamics is part of the process that is called evolution.
Therefore, there seems to be no contradiction.
Leaves fall to the ground and fertilise the soil, which causes new life to grow. One species devours another species, causing the first species to flourish. One species, devours its environment, causing that species to cease and giving another species the opportunity to flourish. The Earth moves out if its life sustaining orbit however Mars moves closer to a life sustaining orbit.
Therefore, although things degenerate, other things generate in the same place or elsewhere.
In my inexpert view, that is evolution, or simply, constant eternal change.
