makroevolúciós

Makroevolúció refers to evolutionary change at or above the level of species. It encompasses the large-scale patterns of evolution, such as the origin of new groups of organisms (speciation) and the extinction of existing ones, as well as the development of major evolutionary trends over long periods. While microevolution describes changes within a population or species in terms of allele frequencies, makroevolution focuses on the cumulative effects of these smaller-scale changes over geological time, leading to the diversification of life and the formation of higher taxonomic ranks like genera, families, orders, classes, and phyla.

Key concepts within makroevolution include adaptive radiation, where a single lineage rapidly diversifies into multiple new forms, often in response to new opportunities or ecological niches. It also deals with evolutionary transitions, such as the development of flight in birds or the move from water to land by vertebrates. Paleontology plays a crucial role in understanding makroevolution, as the fossil record provides direct evidence of past life forms and their transformations. Theories related to punctuated equilibrium, which proposes that evolutionary change occurs in rapid bursts interspersed with long periods of stability, are also relevant to makroevolutionary studies. In essence, makroevolution seeks to explain the grand sweep of life's history and the diversity we observe today.