Microevolution

Microevolution, broadly defined, is the inevitable small-scale changes in allele frequencies in a population within the same species. Under this broad definition, this change in overall allele frequencies occurs with every birth or death of a member of the species. In other words, some generations of people might be taller than the last or shorter than the last based on the number of individuals who happen to have the "tall" gene.

Microevolution in Bacteria

Microevolution is the process by which bacteria may develop resistance to antibiotics. We regularly use antibiotics to stop bacterial infections. When a colony of bacteria is exposed to an antibiotic, the bacteria are likely to die if they do not have genes that produce molecules to inhibit the action of the antibiotic. If the survivors reproduce, the colony will contain mostly bacteria that have inherited resistance genes. A second application of the same antibiotic will not affect them.

Genes to resist various antibiotics are natural for bacteria to produce because the many species of bacteria war with each other for more space using these chemicals on each other. In order to protect itself a given species of bacteria would at least have genes for resistance to the particular antibiotic it produces. Resistance genes can also be produced by random mutation, usually through mistakes in copying the DNA during cell division. Furthermore, bacteria can pass genes for antibiotic resistance between strains and even between species.

Because antibiotics have been used so widely in medicine, there is increasing concern about developing strains of bacteria that can acquire multiple resistances to most of the antibiotics we use. High compliance with infection control measures and a prudent and more restrictive use of antibiotics are the key measures to prevent epidemics based on bacteria with multiresistance.

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Microevolution in Creation Science

While there are different forms of creation science, generally Creationists agree with the concept of microevolution, but call it adaptation. From the creationist point of view, there is a large difference between microevolution and macroevolution. The first occurs; the other does not.

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MicroEvolution is MacroEvolution

Many Creationists and Fundamentalist Christians claim that MicroEvolution is very different then Macro Evolution. Of course, they are completely wrong. The difference between MicroEvolution and MacroEvolution is an illusion. A simple proof can deter their arguments: MicroEvolution states that an animal can have a slight, smaller mutation. Many examples of this include Elephants loosing tusks due to poaching, bacteria becoming antibiotic resistant, and bugs becoming resistant to pesticides. Of course, what Creationists can't accept is: Many of these small changes over time become large. Take the Elephant example. A larger percentage of the population is loosing tusks, due to poaching. Eventually, if poaching continues almost the entire gene pool will have the 'trunkless' mutation. Then, over time, several of these situations occur. Elephants will have to become faster to migrate over the growing deserts of Africa. Elephants may become shorter, no longer needing long legs to reach the heights of trees/cross rivers if smaller, invasive plants take over the flora of Africa, or the continuing drought dries up most rivers. Their skin may become thinner, due to the extreme heat/climate increase around the world, making thick skin an annoyance. Eventually, the 'elephant' would become a far shorter,with thinner skin, and no tusks, WOULD be a different species. QED. Sources:

External Links

Microevolution - CreationWiki