how does variation in population contribute to evolution?

Answer 1

variation is totally essential to evolution. if variation in a population is 1. hereditary (passed on from parents to children) and 2. affects the comparative ability of individuals to survive and reproduce (the yellow rat will be more likely to be eaten by a predator than the brown rat), then the environment will select for traits within that variable population that result in increased reproduction, and that trait wil become more common in the future population. this will result in a change in the gene pool over time, which is literally what evolution is.

Answer 2

Variation in a population is absolutely essential for evolution. If all individuals were identical, then none would have any advantage over any of the others, and all offspring would also be identical to their parents ... so no evolution (change) could occur.

But if there is variation, *and* if that variation confers some advantage to some individuals and not to others, then the population will change over time as that advantage gets passed on to more individuals ... so the average makeup of the population will change, which is the definition of evolution.

P.S. (By the time I finished typing this, tw had also posted his response ... and we seem to have almost identical answers. :-) )

Answer 3

Variation is a key aspect to evolution. In fact, if there is a recessive gene that isnt in the advancement of the current direction of the species variation tends to snuff that gene out and either gets rid of it completely or replaces it with something more important to the survival of the species. the larger the population, the better chance for variation because of the higher numbers in individuals to mate with and spread your genes through. it may take many or it could take few but variation also has to do with viral attribute. those of the African American descent have a larger chance of obtaining sickle cell and it comes from centuries ago when they still lived in Africa. However, it is proven that those with the frightful sickle cell are immune to or less apt to getting malaria which also comes from Africa incidentally. So it can be concluded that some recessive genes can be used as a progressive and substantial trait in some areas while it may only remain recessive in other parts of the world. It all depends on how important the gene is to the organism in a physiological point of view.

Answer 4

Populations need to stabilize around the optimal number. As the numbers cross the optimal level, panic about potential loss of food share triggers the multiplication mechanism in the subconscious mind.Fertility rate goes up, leading to more births, and more children to feed actually brings on the shortage of food.Conversely,if populations go down below optimal level, there comes a time when the individual is assured that the community as a whole has plenty of food to share and therefore actually tends to limit the family size in order to conserve that state.The deliberate limitation of families leads to loss of the urge to procreate and attention goes to build material affluence and other drives. This leads to further decline in the already low population.The situation then calls for transplantation of large settlements or individual adoptions. All these activities leave a dominant trait in the cells of the population in due course and the so called standard patterns yield place to new ones and the old patterns become recessive.

Answer 5

If some individual has a variation that assists in survival, it has a better chance of passing on its DNA to future generations. If many generations are involved, the variation becomes more commonplace and eventually can become the standard. In order to perpetuate, though, the variation has to contribute to survival.

Answer 6

It seems that every time the earth begins to over populate-a pandemic thins things out. We thought it was going to be AIDS but I think you'd better look towards the Bird Flu. Variation; population;evolution. Hmm. An overabundance of population seems to create virus's that are virulent. But, the way you word it-well I'm not growing wings.

Answer 7

If one variant in the population provides a survival advantage under a condition that occurs, that trait will tend to increase in the population.

Answer 8

problematic problem. try searching over search engines like google. that could help!