Final answer:
Advocates of punctuated equilibrium support the idea that species experience long periods of stability punctuated by rapid evolutionary changes, differing from gradual speciation which involves a slow, steady change in species traits.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the debate of how speciation occurs, advocates of punctuated equilibrium suggest that species remain constant for long periods of time which are interspersed with much shorter periods of rapid evolutionary change. This pattern is characterized by long phases of stability or stasis, followed by brief intervals of significant evolutionary activity, which may result from a variety of environmental factors such as climate change. Unlike gradual speciation, which involves a slow and steady pace of incremental trait changes, punctuated equilibrium proposes that new species undergo quick changes from the parent species and then remain largely unchanged for long periods. Both models, however, culminate in the divergence of species, adding branches to the tree of life.