Yes, they can. Mutation is one of the four main mechanisms of evolution.
allele
In the strict sense, no. Mutations happen to individuals and are only heritable in the germ line. Populations have allele frequencies in their gene pools. So, the mutation must be beneficial, lucky enough that it original carrier passes it on intact and that it is driven into the populations gene pool in sufficient number, by having reproductive success, to change allele frequencies.
A population in which the allele frequencies do not change from one generation to the next is said to be in equilibrium.
Evolution; the change in allele frequencies over time in a population of organisms.
Under ideal conditions, allele frequencies can change over time due to genetic drift, natural selection, gene flow, and mutations. These factors can cause certain alleles to become more or less common in a population, leading to changes in allele frequencies. Over many generations, these changes may result in evolution occurring within the population.
Allele frequencies can change in a rat population through genetic drift, natural selection, gene flow, and mutations. These can lead to an increase or decrease in the frequency of certain alleles within the population over time.
Allele frequencies remain constant in a population when certain conditions are met, such as no mutations, no gene flow, random mating, a large population size, and no natural selection. Genotype frequencies can change over time due to factors like genetic drift, natural selection, and non-random mating. As long as the conditions for constant allele frequencies are maintained, the overall genetic makeup of the population remains stable even as individual genotypes may change.
Genetic equilibrium is a state in which the allele frequencies in a population remain constant and do not change over time. This means that the population is not evolving and there is no change in the genetic makeup of the population.
The type of equilibrium where allele frequencies do not change is called Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. This equilibrium occurs in an idealized population where certain assumptions are met, such as random mating, no mutation, no migration, no natural selection, and a large population size. In Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the genotype frequencies can be predicted using the allele frequencies.
In a population where allele frequencies do not change, it is said to be in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. This condition occurs when certain criteria are met: the population is large, mating is random, there are no mutations, no gene flow (migration), and no natural selection. Under these circumstances, the genetic variation remains stable over generations, indicating that the population is not evolving.
Generation-to-generation change in allele frequencies in a population is known as evolution. This change can be the result of various factors such as natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, and mutation. Over time, these processes can lead to the emergence of new traits and variations within the population.
allele frequencies in a population will remain constant unless one or more factors cause those frequencies to change