Macroevolution In The Book Of Life

The purpose behind this essay is to explain the differences in modern evolution and post evolution. I will break down the importance of microevolution and macroevolution and how meiosis can be considered a part of evolution. I will explain the evolution of Vertebrates and mammals all while explaining the definition of species according to biological species and recognition species concept. This essay should bring out the true definition and explanation of evolution and all the concepts that go with it like the evolutionary process and explaining the definitions of “jerks” and “creeps” as explained in our film The Book of Life: Genetics and evolution.

Body

The current definition of Evolution is the gradual opening of new forms of life from

preexisting ones. Modern Synthesis in the late 1920s and early 1930s, biologist realized that mutation and natural selection weren’t opposing processes. This process has a two stages, first, the production and redistribution of variation, and secondly, natural selection acting on this variation to successfully reproduce (Jurmain, Kilgore, Trevathan, Ciochon pg. 94). Four evolutionary factors that contribute to modes of evolution are Environmental changes Cultural/mating preferences, Population Immigration, and Genetic Mutation. Mutation is a random change in a gene. A mutation can change a gene, add to a gene or remove a gene. Just because there is a mutation, it does not mean it can be harmful they can be beneficial or neutral. Population contributes to evolution because the sum of food or resources could be limited and it turns into survival of the fittest. Mating preferences are important because certain breeds can only breed with other breeds. Environmental changes can occur and species may move to different locations and breed with other species.
Meiosis is cell division that leads to the formation of gametes. Meiosis can be considered an evolutionary factor, because a new species comes from two sets of chromosomes from the parents, without these genes no new species would be made to contribute to evolution. This new species continues to reproduce with other species with similar genes and a new strain is born. Without Meiosis the process of evolution would not exist. Those are the two reasons that meiosis is considered a factor in evolution.
Microevolution refers to varieties within a given type while Macroevolution refers to major evolutionary changes over time.

An example of microevolution is a small group with almost identical genes, however a small percentage of a gene strain could be different, like the color of that specific group. That same group has repopulated and that small percentage has increased meaning the gene is involving. The example of Macroevolution is humans because it occurs on a wide spectrum. Depending on the location and environment the changes in micro and macroevolution differ. Tropical species also generally evolve at a faster rate than do those from colder temperate climates. For Macroevolution the process of change is slow, while microevolution is a faster process. Microevolution can lead to macroevolution because it can be caused by mutation, genetic drift, and natural selection.

The definition of species according to the biological species concept depicting a species as groups of individuals that are capable of interbreeding, and are reproductively isolated from other groups (lesson 4). The definition of recognition species concept is similar to the definition of species of biological, however Individuals must recognize each other as members of their own species for purposes of mating (lesson

4).
The Evolution of Vertebrates is a process from water to land and how that species evolves to their surroundings. Physical things that often change are their jaws or their limbs, these things often change to adapt to their lifestyle or they are forced to change because of genetics. Most often fish or birds are common vertebrates that we notice physical changes around. The evolution of Mammals started around 70 mya. During the Mesozoic period the dominate vertebrate was the reptile. Mammals replaced earlier reptiles as the dominant land-living vertebrates (lesson 4).
This last section focuses on definitions related to the evolution of mammals, the first definition is adaptive radiation is the development of many different forms from an originally homogeneous group of organisms as they fill different ecological niches. This often occurs when there is a new environment and different species. An example of this and evolution is finches and the way their beaks change depending on their environment. From the video The Book of life: Genetics and Evolution the term “jerk” and “creeps” are creeps are explained as the evolutionary clock moving slowly, while jerks are slow and then rapidly speed up or it “leaped” (Rutherford time 1:45).

Conclusion
In this paper, I have broken down the importance of microevolution and macroevolution and how meiosis could be considered a part of evolution. I explained the evolution of Vertebrates and mammals all while I explained the definition of species according to biological species and recognition species concept and the differences of each definition. Along with these topics we went over the many definitions that come along with evolution and the process. Each of these contributes to the stages of evolution and how it has varied over time.