What is the significance of macroevolution? Examples of it?

Answer 1

Macroevolution is regular evolution, but they dub it with "macro" to show a long period of time.

Evolution is significant because it is the mechanism for change that occurs in a population. Some traits are refined and developed through natural selection. Say a bird has a little longer legs than the others and is able to wade in the water and eat a little more fish and it gives it a little more energy and is able to mate a little more often. Over several million years if a trend were to develop with birds like that, then they would change in appearance and become a new species, in this case some sort of crane. Evolution is all about certain traits becoming increasingly popular in a population and over millions of years the species will change in that population into something different from the original population.

Answer 2

Biologists use the term "macroevolution" to refer to evolution above the species level. "Microevolution" is used to define sub-specific evolutionary events.

These terms are greatly abused in creationist literature these days. In creationist literature microevolution is said to be real, macroevolution impossible. But if microevolution happens, then macroevolution must be possible because it is just a continuation of the same genetic process: If we look at the underlying genetic differences between sub-specific organisms (up to about 0.4% genomic variation) and between different species (more than 0.5% genomic variation), one would have to postulate an error-free nucleotide transcription process once reproductively isolated populations have reached sub-specific status. Of course that is ridiculous, and so the creationist argument falls apart.

Answer 3

The significance of macroevolution, well, it is really the same thing, as evolution, but probably it is macroscopic. As in the speaciation of an animal into another.

Answer 4

One type of macro evolution by definition is when one species gradually changes through a series of adaptations into a entirely new species such as deer who after several million generations grew the long neck needed for taller trees and produced the giraffe. There are no "actually-happened" examples. There are only apparent examples that really are hoaxes in text books and the literature--unsubstantiated claims which are not true and factual. It has never happened and never will happen.

Answer 5

Examples (and good introduction) of Macroevolution:
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/comdesc/