Question

factors affecting genetic variation
warm-up active
recall information about gen
natural selection
why is genetic variation important? select all that
apply:
because individuals cannot evolve without it
because populations can survive in a variety
of different situations
because the environment is constantly
changing and different alleles are favored in
different situations
done

Explanation:

Genetic variation is crucial for populations. Evolution occurs at the population level, not individual. With genetic variation, populations have a diverse gene pool. This allows them to adapt to various environmental changes. Different alleles (gene variants) can be favored as the environment shifts (e.g., a change in climate might favor a different allele for fur thickness in an animal population). Also, a diverse gene pool means the population has a better chance of surviving in multiple situations (e.g., a disease might wipe out a population with low genetic variation but a diverse one may have some resistant individuals).

Answer:

• because populations can survive in a variety of different situations
• because the environment is constantly changing and different alleles are favored in different situations