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Mutations may introduce novel phenotypes due to a change in DNA. If beneficial to the organism, the environment will continue to select that trait in future generations. However, most mutations are harmful to the organism, usually preventing the trait from passing to offspring.

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12y ago

Mutation, especially germ line mutation can play several roles in evolutionary processes. If neutral there is no change int he organisms phenotype. If deleterious the organism can be nonviable, except for certain syndromes in humans that are viable, though not necessarily heritable. Then you have benificial mutations that may confer enough of a benefit on the variant organism to make it reproductively successful and leave this trait onto it's progeny.

So, mutation can serve up variation to natural selection.

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They provide a home for mountain animals.

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Q: What role do mutations play in natural selection?
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What role do alleles play in natural selection?

Genes are the medium by which inherited traits are passed on to offspring. It is inherited traits, and thus genes, that receive positive or negative selection.


What role does competition play in the theory of natural selection?

Natural selection needs competition in order to occur


What science was developed later which was found to support Darwin's theory?

Molecular biologists discovered deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the molecule that codes for genes. Every organism's genetic makeup is encoded within strands of this molecule, and the science of molecular biology provided an enormous boost for explaining the role of random mutations in evolution. Darwin had done an excellent job in describing the role of natural selection, but the incorporation of the discoveries of molecular biology into evolutionary biology became known as the "modern synthesis."


What type of selection that humans control?

Artificial selection.Artificial selection is the selection, by humans, of which individual plants or animals to breed from. In this way desirable characteristics, such as increased yield or disease resistance, can be preserved or improved.Charles Darwin used artificial seletion as a model for how evolution could take place in nature, where competiton between individuals replaced the selective action of humans. He called the natural process 'natural selection'.See http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evo101/IIIE4Evochange.shtmlfor an excellent account.


What best describes diversity in terms of natural selection?

Diversity is the number of different role players (species) in an area. I like to think of diversity in the form of niches. The number of niches being filled in an ecosystem is directly related to the diversity.

Related questions

What role do meiosis play in process of natural selection?

Meiosis plays an important role in the process of natural selection, as it allows DNA to replicate.


Which form of natural selection is most likely to play a role in speciation?

Disruptive Selection


What is the role of the natural selection in evolution and what role does it play in environmental science?

Natural selection is the changing of organisms gradually over time. Natural selection and evolution are parts of environmental science due to them being the studies of organisms.


What role does the environment play in Darins theory of evolution by natural selection?

The environment is the '' natural selector. ''


Explain the role of mutations in evolution?

Mutations are the material upon which natural selection acts. Evolution is a two sided coin. One side is mutation; the other side is natural selection. Without mutation there is no significant variation. Mutations are, however, ubiquitous. Every organism is a mutant. Evolution can be summarized as the non random survival of randomly varying replicators.


What role does the environment play on natural selection?

Nature plays no direct role in artificial selection. That is the difference between artificial selection and natural selection. Nature does play some indirect roles in artificial selection. One indirect role is in providing the organisms with which one beings the artificial selection. Another is in influencing the choices of the organism performing the artificial selection.


What is the the role of natural selection in evolution and what roles does it play in environmental science?

Natural selection is the changing of organisms gradually over time. Natural selection and evolution are parts of environmental science due to them being the studies of organisms.


What role does the environment play natural selection?

toilet paper...... just kidding it helps the plants grow and people live


How does chance play a role in evolution?

Evolution is caused by adaptations (favorable traits) that sometimes come from mutations. Mutations happen by chance, and this is how chance plays a role in evolution.


How do humans affect artificial selection?

Humans directly affect artificial selection. They do this by selecting the specific traits that they prefer which they cannot don in a natural selection.


What role do alleles play in natural selection?

Genes are the medium by which inherited traits are passed on to offspring. It is inherited traits, and thus genes, that receive positive or negative selection.


How do chromosome segregation and independent assortment play a role in natural selection?

They both fuel the engine of genetic diversification by creating changes to the linear structure of Dna.