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If a mutation occurs, if itbeneficial in the slightest, natural selection chooses it to become the more common gene, and thus evolution takes place. For example the black death wiped out one in three Europeans, now scientists are finding that some of those who survived had mutations on their immune system cells; they lacked common receptors, or otherwise had few. (DNA is like history, clearly they aren't meeting with black plague patients, the DNA in Caucasian Europeans acts as a historical map of past bottlenecks.) Because Europeans with this mutation were least likely to die of the black death they were the most likely to survive, which is why the catastrophe of the Bubonic Plague resulted in some 20% of Caucasian European descendants to lack these receptors on their immune system cells which in turn helps reduce the risk of immunity diseases such as aides.

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What events may have lead to genetic changes over time?

Mutation can lead to genetic changes over time!


Is it reasonable to expect that mutation rates are relatively constant over long periods of time?

Mutation rates can vary over time due to factors such as changes in population size, environmental pressures, and genetic mechanisms. However, for certain organisms and genetic regions, mutation rates may remain relatively constant over long periods of time. Overall, the expectation of constant mutation rates over time depends on the specific context and factors involved.


What is the same between mutation and adaptation?

Both mutation and adaptation involve changes in an organism's genetic makeup in response to changes in the environment. Mutations are random changes in DNA that can lead to variations in traits, while adaptation is the process by which organisms adjust to their environment over time to increase their chances of survival and reproduction. Both mutation and adaptation play crucial roles in evolution.


Why are mutation and recombination important in the process of natural selection and the evolution of organisms?

When a mutation occurs in the replication process, it changes certain features, like maybe better eyesight, and maybe bigger eyes, or bigger claws, and the meaning of evolution is when something changes into a better form.


How do slow changes such as moving continents affect organisms differently than rapid changes such as a meteorite affict organisms?

Slow changes like moving continents can give organisms time to adapt and evolve to new conditions over generations. Rapid changes, like a meteorite impact, can cause immediate destruction and extinction for many organisms that may not have time to adapt. Overall, slow changes allow for more gradual adjustments and potential persistence of species.


Why does a mutation in a sex cell affect an organism?

It only affects the offspring of the organism.


How an organism has changed over time?

Organisms can change over time through the process of evolution, which occurs through natural selection, genetic drift, gene flow, and mutation. These changes can lead to the development of new traits or adaptations that help the organism survive in its environment. Over long periods of time, these changes can eventually result in the formation of new species.


How often do individual organisms evolve?

Individual organisms do not evolve during their lifetimes; evolution occurs at the population level over many generations through processes such as natural selection, mutation, gene flow, and genetic drift. While individuals can adapt to their environments, these changes are not inherited. Instead, evolution is reflected in the genetic changes within populations over long periods, leading to the emergence of new traits or species.


What are defactors that affect the process of natural selection?

Some factors that can affect the process of natural selection include mutation rate, genetic diversity within a population, environmental changes, competition for resources, and presence of predators. These factors can influence which traits are favored or selected for in a population over time.


What term describe changes that occur with species?

The term that describes changes that occur with species over time is "evolution." Evolution refers to the process through which populations of organisms undergo genetic changes across generations, leading to adaptations and the emergence of new species. This process is driven by mechanisms such as natural selection, mutation, genetic drift, and gene flow.


What is directional mutation?

one which changes the characteristics of an organism so it moves in a direction. Like if stin colour mutated so it was darker the mutation was directional to make skin colour darker not lighter.


This is some barrier to reproduction among a species of organisms It often results in genetic change over time and the development of new species?

Reproductive isolation acts as a barrier preventing interbreeding between different populations of organisms, leading to genetic changes over time through mechanisms like natural selection, genetic drift, and mutation. These changes can accumulate and eventually result in the formation of new species, a process known as speciation.