Final answer:
Mutation is a process that randomly introduces genetic variation into a population, and is a driving force in microevolution. Natural selection, migration, and mating behaviors can influence the fate of these mutations, affecting the genetic structure of populations over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mutation is a critical mechanism of microevolution, introducing genetic variations that can lead to changes within a species over generations. Mutations happen at random, and their effects can be positive, negative, or neutral. Positive mutations can confer an advantage in survival or reproduction and may spread through the population by natural selection. These accumulations of mutations over time drive the diversity within a population. Conversely, deleterious mutations are likely to be removed by natural selection, due to the reduced fitness they commonly cause.
Microevolution occurs on a small scale within a population, distinguishing it from macroevolution, which spans over paleontological time and may lead to new species. While mutation provides the raw material for evolutionary change, factors like natural selection, migration, and nonrandom mating will influence which genetic variations become more frequent in a gene pool, illustrating how mutation interacts with other evolutionary processes.