Genetic variation is essential for evolution 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 variation is the raw material on which natural selection acts. Without variation, there would be nothing for natural selection to work on. Imagine a population of identical individuals - any trait that is advantageous would spread through the population like wildfire, and any disadvantageous trait would be equally pervasive. There would be no room for adaptation or evolution. Variation within a population arises from mutations, which are random changes in the genetic code. Mutations can be beneficial, harmful, or neutral. Beneficial mutations increase an individual's chances of survival and reproduction, making them more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation. Harmful mutations decrease an individual's fitness and are less likely to be passed on. Neutral mutatio...
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