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Microevolution and macroevolution are related phenomena in evolution, with the former referring to small changes within a species and the latter to changes that create new species. Creationists use the distinction to argue against evolution, but most scientists see it as a matter of scale rather than a fundamentally different process. Examples of microevolution include intentional breeding and natural selection, while macroevolution encompasses changes across all life forms. The terms were coined in the 1930s and are still debated, but most scientists see them as interchangeable.
Microevolution and macroevolution are terms used to describe two related phenomena in the field of evolution. A distinction is often made between the terms in order to strengthen the creationist argument in an attempt to highlight a perceived “leap of faith” in the evolution argument. It is debatable whether there should even be a distinction between microevolution and macroevolution, or whether the terms are simply used as a way to make the theory of evolution seem unclear. Those who argue that there is a difference argue that the process by which small changes occur within a species through evolution is known as microevolution, while macroevolution defines changes that can create an entirely new species, a condition that some people call it microevolutionary change.
Microevolution
The changes that occur within a species could be caused by humans – such as the intentional breeding of different types of dogs into new breeds or the cross-cultivation of certain plants to bring out specific attributes – or they could be the result of natural selection. One of the more common examples of microevolution is the peppered moth in England; during the Industrial Revolution the peppered moth changed its coloration to better blend in with the soot-covered environment.
Creationists usually accept the premise of microevolution based on the argument that evidence for change within a species is visible and evolution can be observed over the course of a human lifetime. Many creationists find the distinction between microevolution and macroevolution useful because it allows them to accept the existence of microevolution while ignoring the phenomenon of macroevolution as absurd. Rather, creationists tend to believe that different species were created by a supernatural being as opposed to the process of macroevolution.
Macroevolution
Macroevolution is evolution that ultimately transcends the species barrier, producing new species, most likely through a gradual process of what might be termed microevolutionary changes. Macroevolution encompasses changes across the entire spectrum of life, from single-celled organisms to conscious humans. The evolution of humans from more primitive apes, whales from land mammals, and complex vertebrates from worms are all examples of macroevolution. Many evolutionists argue that macro is simply an accumulation of microevolutionary changes.
Is there a difference?
The common creationist argument citing the difference between microevolution and macroevolution argues that although microevolution is clearly observable, macroevolution is unobservable and thus requires a leap of faith. Virtually all evolutionists, however, agree that macroevolutionary processes exist — though they may argue about the actual processes themselves — but most evolutionists would argue that the distinction between microevolution and macroevolution is made up. Most evolutionists believe the difference between the terms is one of scale; in the most common theories of evolution, macroevolution is simply a large collection of microevolutionary changes that accumulate over time until they cause speciation.
Somewhat ironically, the terms microevolution and macroevolution were coined by an evolutionary biologist in the 1930s, who was forced to admit that the two processes were equivalent. Although microevolution and macroevolution are still sometimes debated in the scientific world, their meanings in this context usually indicate a difference in scale, rather than a fundamentally different process. Many evolutionists avoid the terms altogether because they are perceived as co-opted by creationists for their own benefit, and some scientists may joke that the only difference between microevolution and macroevolution is a vowel.
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