9.3 Genetic diversity and adaptation Flashcards
What is genetic diversity?
The number of different alleles of genes in a population
When is genetic diversity greater?
When the number of different alleles is bigger
How is genetic diversity advantageous?
If the environment changes, some individuals will have greater reproductive success
What is a factor that enables natural selection to occur?
Genetic diversity
What does natural selection lead to?
Evolution of populations
Key points of natural selection
- there is variation within a population
- random mutations can occur
- can lead to greater reproductive success
- increases new allele’s frequency
What is allele frequency?
The number of times an allele occurs
What is a gene pool?
The total number of alleles in a population
What can random mutation produce?
New alleles of a gene
Are most mutations harmful or beneficial?
Many mutations are harmful
When are random mutations beneficial?
When there’s a change in the environment that favours the mutation
What increases when the mutation is beneficial in an environment?
Reproductive success
What is reproductive success?
Greater likeliness to survive and reproduce
- passing on the new allele to offspring
