Final answer:
Recombination serves two main purposes: to provide genetic diversity by shuffling alleles between chromosomes during meiosis and to facilitate accurate repair of DNA breaks in order to conserve the genome's integrity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of recombination is to provide genetic diversity and repair DNA breaks during cell division, specifically during meiosis in eukaryotes. During this process, homologous chromosomes undergo genetic exchange, which ensures that the offspring will inherit a novel combination of genes different from that of their parents. Recombination is essential for the accurate repair of single-stranded and double-stranded DNA breaks without resulting in deletions, thus conserving the integrity of the genome.
Through chromosomal crossover during meiosis, alleles are exchanged between homologous chromosomes, creating recombinant chromosomes that carry genes from both the maternal and paternal chromosomes. This process significantly contributes to the genetic variation within a species, enhancing its potential to adapt to changing environments. It is a fundamental mechanism by which evolution operates, as it creates new gene combinations that can be subjected to natural selection.