What is the Difference Between Microevolution and Macroevolution?
Microevolution and macroevolution are two terms used to describe two related phenomena within the field of evolution. A distinction is often made between microevolution and macroevolution for the purpose of bolstering the argument of creationism, in the attempt to point out a perceived “leap of faith” in the argument of evolution. It is arguable whether there should even be a distinction between microevolution and macroevolution, or whether the terms are used simply as a way of obfuscating evolutionary theory. Microevolution is the process by which small changes happen within a species through the process of evolution. These changes might be caused by humans — such as the intentional breeding of different types of dogs into new breeds, or cross-cultivating some plants to bring out specific attributes — or they might be the result of natural selection. One of the most common examples of microevolution is the peppered moth in England during the Industrial Revolution, which over the cours
In question 10, answer (d) is the closest to being correct. It is indeed a convenient and rather arbitrary distinction for purposes of *studying* evolution. But the distinction is whether it is evolution at or below the species level, or evolution at or above the species level. But yes the *reason* we draw this distinction is that evolution at or below the species level *usually* involves shorter time periods and thus can be directly manipulated by humans, while evolution above the species level (such as the types of branching events that cause new species) *usually* involves longer time periods, and thus is studied using inferrential methods of observation. However, while this is *usually* true, it is not always true … some microevolution (within a species) can take centuries, thousands, or even millions of years to unfold, while some macroevolution (such as branching of new species) can occur fast enough in species like fruit flies that we can reproduce it in the lab. Please also n
The only difference is time. So-called “microevolution” means changes within a species, accumulated over a relatively short period of time (geologically speaking). So-called “macroevolution” is the exact same process operating over a much longer time, such that the accumulated changes become significant enough to warrant assignment of a new species name to the resulting form. Some folks claim that “microevolution” occurs (they can’t deny this, since we can see it happen within our own lifetime), but that “macroevolution” (resulting in new species) does not occur. This position of course is logically untenable. If something gradually accumulates changes over time, then over great expanses of time it will obviously become very different from what it was before, at which point it is only reasonable to call it something else. .
Many people wonder whether the small-scale evolution that scientists observe in the laboratory and in the wild (microevolution) is distinct from the large-scale evolutionary trends that scientists observe, say, in the fossil record (macroevolution). What seems to separate microevolution from macroevolution is the act of speciation–that is, the process in which a new species is formed. Changes can occur within a single species as it adapts to its local environment; changes that are referred to as microevolution. Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a good example of microevolutionary change. In adapting to an environment of antibiotics through natural selection, bacteria have evolved resistance to the drugs. If there is microevolutionary change within a species but that species does not split off a new descendent species, then there is unlikely to be any visible evolutionary change over long time scales. Major or macroevolutionary changes are tied to speciation, the origin of new speci
” Answer: Microevolution is an uncontroversial, well-documented, naturally-occurring, biological phenomenon. It happens every day. It is the process whereby preexisting genetic information is rearranged, corrupted, and/or lost through sexual reproduction and/or genetic mutation producing relatively small-scale (micro) changes within a population. Two long-haired dogs producing a short-haired puppy would be an example of microevolution (well look at why in a moment). Macroevolution is the somewhat more controversial theoretical extrapolation of microevolution that requires the introduction of new genetic information. It is believed to produce large-scale (macro) changes. An amphibian evolving into a reptile or a reptile evolving into a bird would be examples of macroevolution. Macroevolution is an important concept because Darwinists believe that it is the mechanism for their idea that all life evolved from a common primordial ancestor. Since microevolution is small-scale (micro) biolog
