Question

5. Can individuals evolve over the course of their lifetimes? What is the smallest unit of evolution?

6. Individuals in most populations are not clones – they all look and function differently from one another. What is the ultimate source of new alleles that allow for this variation?

7. What four processes are responsible for genetic change in populations (microevolution)? Which one of these processes always leads to a population becoming more adapted to its specific environment?

8. What is genetic drift? Briefly describe the two types of genetic drift.

Please type here the answer and write in easy words, thanks

Answer 1

5. Evolution is descent with modification. A population is the smallest unit of evolution.
It is very unlikely that an individual will accumulate enough mutations to adapt to the selection pressure. It occurs over many generations.

6. The ultimate source of genetic variation + Mutations.
Mutation is a sudden heritable change in the nucleic acid sequence. It can be beneficial or deleterious.
Mutations occur during DNA replication or during exposure to mutagens. Generally, these mutations are repaired and restored by DNA repair systems.

7. The four processes that are responsible for the genetic change in populations are
i. Natural Selection
ii. Genetic Drift
iii. Mutations
iv. Gene Flow
Natural Selection always leads to a population becoming more adapted to its specific environment.

8. Genetic drift = A change in allele frequency in a small population due to a chance disappearance/accident
Two main types of genetic drift are
i. Founder effect
ii. Population bottleneck