Microevolution and Macroevolution in Teaching and Learning Essay - 1

Microevolution and Macroevolution in Teaching and Learning - Essay Example Generally, macroevolution is the total of microevolution over extended time periods and occurs above the level of the species. On the other hand, microevolution denotes changes in allele frequencies that lead to smaller evolutionary changes in the population (Rosengren 30). Microevolution, therefore, can be considered as the normal evolutionary mode. These two processes of evolution are linked by speciation or isolated populations, which can be considered to fall in either process’ scope. In microevolution, new species are not formed, and if the changes are not maladaptive, it is possible for these changes to persist in the species, as well as the population. If a new opportunity is presented, a select group of individuals could adapt to a different environment or source of food. Where the adaptations lead to the parental species and the adapted individuals having offspring that is maladaptive, reproduction isolation is the result (Rosengren 31). Macroevolution and microevolution basically address the same process, which is gene frequency changes, meaning that both use the same mechanisms. Small-scale allele frequency changes within the population that occurs in microevolution could be as the outcome of natural selection, gene flow, genetic drift, or genetic drift (Rosengren 33). Natural selection entails a progression in which individuals that adapt best produce the most number of offspring, which also transfer their parents’ genes to their offspring, giving them a survival edge. Genetic drift, on the other hand, would involve a random process where chance has a key role in determining the alleles or gene variants that survive.