AQA · Biology · 8461
GCSE Biology: Variation
Inheritance, variation and evolution · AQA GCSE Biology (8461), specification point 4.6.2.1. Cards are generated from the exam board's own specification for "Variation", and every card links back to the page it came from. Specification © AQA — used with attribution.
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What is meant by variation in a population?
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Differences in the characteristics of individuals in a population.
What are the three possible causes of variation between individuals?
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Genetic causes (inherited genes), environmental causes (conditions of development), or a combination of both.
Variation caused by the conditions in which an organism developed has ? causes.
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environmental
What two factors together influence the development of an organism's phenotype?
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Its genome and the environment it interacts with.
How much genetic variation is there usually within a population of a species?
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Usually extensive genetic variation.
All genetic variants arise from ?.
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mutations
What effect do most mutations have on the phenotype?
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No effect at all. Some influence the phenotype, and very few determine it.
How often do mutations occur?
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Continuously — but only very rarely does one lead to a new phenotype.
When can a mutation lead to a relatively rapid change in a species?
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When it produces a new phenotype that is suited to an environmental change.
What proportion of mutations determine the phenotype?
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Very few.
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