Microevolution
Microevolution refers to small-scale changes in gene frequencies in a population over a few generations. These changes may be due to several processes: mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, as well as natural selection. Population genetics is the branch of biology that provides the mathematical structure for the study of the process of microevolution. Biologists distinguish between microevolution and macroevolution, which refers to large-scale changes in gene frequencies in a population over a long period of time (and may culminate in the evolution of new species).
Typically, observable instances of evolution are examples of microevolution, for example, bacterial strains that have become resistant to antibiotics. Because microevolution can be observed directly, both pro-evolution and some anti-evolution groups agree that it is a fact of life (see the Microevolution vs. Macroevolution section in the Creationism article for creationist arguments regarding microevolution and macroevolution).
See also
Speciation, Molecular evolution, Population genetics
Referenced By
Biological evolution | Darwin's theory of evolution | Evolution | Evolution theory | Evolutionary theory | Evolutionism | Evolve | Evolved | Population genetics | Theory of Evolution
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