AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Mutations are the original source of genetic variation. A mutation is a permanent alteration to a DNA sequence. De novo (new) mutations occur when there is an error during DNA replication that is not corrected by DNA repair enzymes.

Detailed explanation-2: -Genetic variation can be caused by mutation (which can create entirely new alleles in a population), random mating, random fertilization, and recombination between homologous chromosomes during meiosis (which reshuffles alleles within an organism’s offspring).

Detailed explanation-3: -The incorrect statement is (e) Mutations that increases an individual’s fitness (reproductive success) are favoured by natural selection. The correct statement is: Mutation always decrease an organism’s fitness.

Detailed explanation-4: -Mutations, the changes in the sequences of genes in DNA, are one source of genetic variation. Another source is gene flow, or the movement of genes between different groups of organisms. Finally, genetic variation can be a result of sexual reproduction, which leads to the creation of new combinations of genes.