What is the primary original source of genetic variation in a population?
A)mutation
B)genetic drift
C)blending inheritance
D)cloning

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mutations are the primary source of genetic variation in a population. Mutations can introduce new alleles into a population, which may have a positive, negative, or neutral effect on fitness, and can ultimately lead to new traits and adaptations. Genetic drift is a random process that can also contribute to genetic variation, but its effects are usually much weaker than those of mutation. Blending inheritance was a popular theory in the past, but it is incorrect because it fails to explain the persistence of recessive traits. Cloning is a technique that can create genetic identicals, but it does not add genetic variation to a population.

What Is the Primary Original Source of Genetic Variation in a Population