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Speciation Time Scales definitions

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  • Speciation
    A process linking small-scale genetic changes to large-scale evolutionary patterns, resulting in new distinct groups.
  • Microevolution
    Small genetic changes within a population over generations, often leading to variation but not new groups.
  • Macroevolution
    Large-scale evolutionary changes that result in the emergence of new groups over long time periods.
  • Gradual Evolution
    A model describing slow, steady changes accumulating over millions of years, producing many transitional forms.
  • Punctuated Equilibrium
    A model proposing long periods of little change interrupted by brief, rapid evolutionary shifts.
  • Fossil Record
    Physical evidence preserved in rock layers, revealing patterns of evolutionary change and intermediate forms.
  • Intermediate Forms
    Transitional organisms displaying traits between ancestral and modern species, often found in ancient remains.
  • Stasis
    Extended periods during which species exhibit little or no evolutionary change.
  • Directional Selection
    A process favoring extreme traits, leading to rapid shifts in a population's characteristics.
  • Stabilizing Selection
    A process maintaining existing traits by favoring average individuals and reducing variation.
  • Biodiversity
    The variety of living organisms shaped by evolutionary processes over time.
  • Transitional Fossils
    Remains that illustrate evolutionary steps between major groups, supporting models of change.
  • Rapid Speciation
    The quick emergence of new groups, often associated with environmental shifts or strong selection.