Question

Do you think mutations can also lead to new trait variations appearing in the descendants of other organisms that were not in their ancestors? Explain.

Answer 1

Mutations can indeed lead to new trait variations in descendants that were not in their ancestors, contributing to genetic diversity and the evolution of species through beneficial, harmful, or neutral alterations to the organism's DNA.

Step-by-step explanation:

Yes, mutations can lead to the appearance of new trait variations in the descendants of organisms that were not present in their ancestors. This process is fundamental to the evolution of species and is how genetic diversity is produced. A mutation is a change in the organism's DNA sequence, which can lead to different outcomes:

• Some mutations may be harmful, decreasing the organism's fitness and are often removed from the population through natural selection.
• Beneficial mutations offer a survival or reproductive advantage, and these new traits may become more common in the population over time.
• Neutral mutations do not affect the organism's fitness and may persist in the gene pool without providing any specific advantage or disadvantage.
• Sexual reproduction and meiosis can further contribute to genetic diversity by recombining alleles.

The introduction of new alleles through mutation, and subsequent genetic drift, are key mechanisms by which new traits can spread within a population, leading to the potential evolution of species.