The large-scale evolutionary changes that take place over long periods of time are called macroevolution.

Here's why:

* Macroevolution refers to the broad patterns of evolutionary change above the species level. This includes things like:

* The origin of new species (speciation)

* The extinction of species

* The diversification of life into major groups (like mammals, reptiles, etc.)

* Long-term trends in evolution, like the increasing complexity of life forms

* Microevolution refers to the changes in allele frequencies within a population over time. These are smaller-scale changes that occur within a single species.

So, macroevolution encompasses the grand sweep of evolutionary history, while microevolution focuses on the smaller changes that contribute to those larger patterns.