Answer:
Genetic diversity happens when mutations create new alleles over a period of time.
What is genetic diversity?
Genetic diversity in a very simple term is the natural variation that exists within the individuals of an species.
The first rule of Darwin's theory says, there is a natural variation. Leaving apart identical twin cases, no 2 individuals of the population are exactly similar, no matter how close they are. There are two factors that are responsible for this variation :
- Phenotypic factors: the external factors like food, climate, the way of nurturing etc. These variations are not inheritable.
- Genotypic factors: these characters are gene governed and are inheritable.
The variations because of (2) are called “genetic diversity” of a particular species. The rich genetic diversity is of immense use to us and also to nature. Development of improved plants or race improvisation of domestic animals is possible through this.
We are fast narrowing down the global natural genetic diversity of animals and plants by our un mindful modernization activities. The loss is great and unrepairable.