microevolution

American  

[mahy-kroh-ev-uh-loo-shuhn, -ee-vuh-] / ˌmaɪ kroʊˌɛv əˈlu ʃən, -ˌi və- /

noun

Biology.

1. evolutionary change involving the gradual accumulation of mutations leading to new varieties within a species.

2. minor evolutionary change observed over a short period of time.

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microevolution Scientific  

/ mī′krō-ĕv′ə-lo̅o̅′shən /

1. Evolutionary change below the level of the species, resulting from relatively small genetic variations. Microevolution produces new strains of microorganisms, for example, or the rise of a new subspecies. The accumulation of many microevolutionary changes results in macroevolution.

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Other Word Forms

• microevolutionary adjective

Etymology

Origin of microevolution

First recorded in 1935–40; micro- + evolution

Example Sentences

As we will study in later, changes in allele frequencies within a population over generations result in microevolution.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The theory also connects this change of a population over time, called microevolution, with the processes that gave rise to new species and higher taxonomic groups with widely divergent characters, called macroevolution.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The change would have been the result of microevolution, or an evolutionary change occurring within a species.

From New York Times • Nov. 9, 2020

To get samples from other species, Dr. Carlton has enlisted the aid of a Fordham University biologist, Jason Munshi-South, who studies the travel patterns and microevolution of rodents in the city.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2017

Additional layers of diversity are generated by clonal expansion, microevolution and phenotypic plasticity. c, Relative stability of M1/PT-like genomes after manifestation of metastasis.

From Nature • Sep. 18, 2013