Question

What are the different ways in which individuals with a particular trait may increase in a population?

Answer 1

Trait:

1. A trait is a unique characteristic of a person.
2. Genes, environmental influences, or a mix of both can influence traits.

The following factors can cause an individual characteristic to become more widespread in a population:

Natural selection:

1. A natural way of increasing a particular trait in a population is to get selected by nature with new adaptations.

Genetic drift:

1. Through the mode of genetic drift, a trait can be increased in the population.
2. If a population has a disaster in which the majority of its members are killed, the survivors will pass on their characteristics to future generations.
3. This will result in a population of the survival generations.

Mutation:

1. New alleles can only be formed by mutation within a population.
2. Natural selection operates on a variety created by mutations.