Final answer:
Mutation by itself results in only small changes to allele frequencies in a population, but when combined with natural selection and other evolutionary forces, the effect can become substantial, shaping the population's genetic diversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
On its own, mutation will have a small impact on population allele frequencies but when combined with other forces like selection, can have a very significant effect. Mutation introduces new genetic variations and new alleles into a population. The effect of mutation on allele frequencies is generally minor, but when coupled with selection, it can have a more pronounced influence on evolutionary processes. Genetic drift, natural selection, and other evolutionary mechanisms such as sexual selection and gene flow, can significantly alter these frequencies, especially when acting in concert with mutation. Natural selection can act on the diversity created by mutation, leading to adaptations that increase an organism's fitness. Over time, beneficial mutations may become predominant in the population, while deleterious ones might be eliminated. Neutral mutations, on the other hand, may persist without effect. Thus, understanding the impact of mutation is fundamental to the study of population genetics and evolutionary biology.