As a teacher of AP biology, I know that biological evolution happens. I know that many biologists call the terms "microevolution" and "macroevolution" an artificial distinction. I agree. However, the terms are used in both the textbook I issued to my students (Solomon, Berg, and Martin's "Biology" 7th ed) and in the CliffsAP Biology study book that I have.
Solomon, Berg, and Martin describe microevolution as a shift in allele frequencies within a population (not within a species, although that would be a natural consequence, wouldn't it?) They define macroevolution as large-scale changes that result in the formation of new species, genera, families, etc.
The CliffsAP book says that microevolution includes speciation, and that macroevolution describes patterns of change in groups of related species over broad periods of geologic time.
The CliffsAP book is geared toward AP students, but most other sources have speciation as part of macroevolution. How do I approach this?
2007-12-13
02:42:18
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3 answers
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asked by
Lucas C
7
in
Biology