Genetic diversity is crucial for survival from "summary" of The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins,Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science Richard Dawkins,David Dawkins,RICHARD AUTOR DAWKINS
Genetic diversity is crucial for survival. Imagine a population of organisms facing a new environmental challenge. If every individual in the population is genetically identical, they all share the same strengths and weaknesses. If the challenge happens to exploit a particular weakness in their genetic makeup, the entire population is at risk of extinction. On the other hand, if the population exhibits a high level of genetic diversity, there is a greater chance that some individuals possess traits that allow them to survive the challenge. These individuals can then pass on their advantageous genes to the next generation, increasing the overall fitness of the population. Genetic diversity serves as a kind of insurance policy against unpredictable changes in...
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