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Related Concept Videos

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

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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).
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Genetic Variation01:25

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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.
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Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 2, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
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Competition's Role in Shaping Cryptic Genetic Variation.

C Hal Terry1, Dante J Nesta1, Lucia Caluseriu1

  • 1Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.

Evolution & Development
|March 1, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cryptic genetic variation in Eastern spadefoot (Scaphiopus holbrookii) tadpoles is revealed by shrimp diets but only under high competition. Moderate competition suppressed this variation, impacting potential trait evolution.

Keywords:
amphibiandevelopmental plasticitygenetic accommodationnoveltyplasticity‐first evolutionpolyphenismtadpole

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Cryptic genetic variation, heritable but unexpressed, can drive evolutionary novelty.
  • Novel environments expose cryptic variation, but how multiple environments interact remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how environmental interactions modulate cryptic genetic variation in natural populations.
  • To determine if shrimp-induced cryptic genetic variation in tadpoles varies with conspecific competition.

Main Methods:

  • Studied Eastern spadefoot (Scaphiopus holbrookii) tadpoles.
  • Assessed shrimp-induced cryptic genetic variation in tadpole traits under varying intraspecific competition levels.

Main Results:

  • Shrimp-induced cryptic genetic variation in body size, gut length, and jaw area occurred only under high competition.
  • Low competition suppressed heritable variation, indicating moderate stress limits expression.
  • Tadpole tail depth variation was unaffected by diet or competition.

Conclusions:

  • Interacting environmental factors (diet and competition) jointly control the expression of cryptic genetic variation.
  • This modulation affects the potential for cryptic variation to fuel novel trait evolution.