Question

What is genetic variation?

Answer 1

Genetic variation is a term used to describe the variation in the DNA sequence in each of our genomes. Genetic variation results in different forms, or alleles, of genes. There are three sources of genetic variation: mutation, gene flow, and sexual reproduction. A mutation is simply a change in the DNA. Mutations themselves are not very common and are usually harmful to a population. Because of this, mutations are usually selected against evolutionary processes. Examples of genetic variation include eye color, blood type, camouflage in animals, and leaf modification in plants.