Genetic and Environmental Variation Flashcards

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Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

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What does variation mean in biology?

Differences between individuals of the same species.

What are the two main causes of variation?

Genetic causes and environmental causes.

What is genetic variation?

Differences caused by the alleles you inherit from your parents.

How does sexual reproduction create genetic variation?

Meiosis and random fertilisation mix alleles, so each offspring is unique.

What is environmental variation?

Differences caused by conditions like diet, climate, injuries, or light.

Give one characteristic mainly controlled by genes.

Human blood group.

Give one characteristic mainly controlled by the environment.

A sun tan.

Can a characteristic be affected by both genes and the environment? Give an example.

Yes. Human height depends on genes and also on diet and health.

What is a mutation?

A change in DNA that can create a new allele.

How do most mutations affect an organism's characteristics?

Most have no effect; some have a small effect; rarely they cause a big change.

What is continuous variation? Give an example.

A feature with a full range of values, for example height or body mass.

What is discontinuous variation? Give an example.

A feature with set categories, for example blood group A, B, AB or O.