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Genetic Variation

Genetic Variation

Genetic variation is the diversity in DNA sequences found among individuals of the same species. This diversity is crucial for a species' survival because it helps organisms adapt to environmental changes. Genetic variation begins with fertilization, where an egg and sperm cell merge. Each of these cells carries 23 chromosomes, up to 46 in the fertilized egg. Chromosomes are long DNA strands that contain genes, the basic units of heredity.
Genes exist in different versions called alleles,...

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).

The Evidence for Evolution

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.

Characteristics of Life

Characteristics of Life

Biology is a natural science that studies life and living organisms, including their structure, function, development, interactions, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. The field's scope is extensive and divided into several specialized disciplines, such as anatomy, physiology, ethology, genetics, and many more. All living things share a few key traits, including cellular organization, heritable genetic material and the ability to adapt/evolve, metabolism to regulate energy needs, the...

What is Variation?

What is Variation?

Apart from the measures of central tendency, distribution, outliers, and the changing characteristics of data with time, an important characteristic of any data set is its variation or spread. In some data sets, the data values are concentrated closely near the mean; in others, the data values are more widely spread out from the mean.
The range, standard deviation, standard error, and variance are the different measures of variation.
Range: The range is the difference between its maximum and...

What is Natural Selection?

What is Natural Selection?

Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

Theoretical principles for biology: Variation.

Maël Montévil¹, Matteo Mossio², Arnaud Pocheville³

¹Laboratoire "Matière et Systèmes Complexes" (MSC), UMR 7057 CNRS, Université Paris 7 Diderot, Paris, France; Institut d'Histoire et de Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques (IHPST), UMR 8590 CNRS/Paris 1/ENS, 13, rue du Four, 75006, Paris, France.

Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology

|August 18, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Biological variation, a fundamental principle, explains how organisms evolve unpredictably. This contrasts with physics, highlighting randomness and contextuality in life's development.

Keywords:

Biological randomness Genericity Historicity Organization Theory of organisms Variability

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Theoretical Biology
Philosophy of Science

Background:

Darwin's theory of random variation is central to understanding life's diversity.
Biological objects (organisms) are unique and undergo qualitative changes.
Existing models often treat biological objects as generic, similar to physical systems.

Purpose of the Study:

To elevate biological variation to a fundamental theoretical principle in biology.
To propose a new framework for understanding biological objects and their evolution.
To explore the implications of this principle for randomness, historicity, and contextuality.

Main Methods:

Elaboration on Darwin's concept of random variation.
Formalizing biological variation through changes in symmetry.
Contrasting biological object evolution with physical object evolution in state spaces.

Main Results:

Biological objects are specific, qualitatively distinct, and undergo unpredictable changes.
Biological variation, framed by symmetry changes, implies randomness, historicity, and contextuality.
The principle of variation is articulated with the principles of default state and organization.

Conclusions:

Biological variation should be recognized as a fundamental principle, distinct from physical laws.
This principle provides a new lens for viewing organismal specificity and evolutionary dynamics.
Understanding biological variation is key to comprehending life's inherent unpredictability and historical nature.