10.5 Types of Variation

Question 1

What is variation?

Answer 1

differences in characteristics

between organisms

Question 2

Describe & explain the 2 different types of variation:

Answer 2

• INTERSPECIFIC
  
  • differences in characteristics between organisms of different species
• INTRASPECIFIC
  
  • differences in characteristics between organisms of the same species

Question 3

What are the 2 main types of factors which cause variation?

Answer 3

GENETIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

Question 4

Describe & explain the genetic causes of variation:

Answer 4

• ALLELES - different variants of same gene causes different phenotypes
• MUTATIONS - can bring about new alleles
• MEIOSIS - crossing over + random assortment means every individual in unique

Question 5

Describe & explain the environmental causes of variation:

Question 6

Explain why variation is more prevalent in organisms which reproduce sexually:

Answer 6

• sexual reproduction involves mixing of genetic information in gametes from 2 different organisms
• during meiosis, independent assortment & crossing over swaps alleles between homologous chromosomes
• in asexual reproduction, variation can only arise due to mutation