What´s Genetic Diversity?

Discuss the issues related to genetic diversity: mutations, sexual reproduction, migration, and population size

Genetic diversity:

Genetic diversity ids defined as the diversity or genetic variability within species. Every species possesses genes which are the source of its own unique features. In human beings, for example, each person's genetic individuality is reflected by the huge variety of people's faces. The term genetic diversity also involves distinct populations of a single species, for example the thousands of breeds of different cats or dogs or the numerous variety of mangoes. The significance of Genetic Diversity is important as it helps in maintaining the gene pool. An individual or a whole population's ability to tolerate stress from any given environmental factor is defined by the huge variety of gene sets.

Genetic Diversity and mutation:

Mutations are defined as changes in the genetic sequence. Mutations are main cause of diversity among organisms. Because these changes occur at many different levels, and they can cause widely differing consequences. In order for mutations to affect an organism's descendants, these mutations must: 1) occur in cells that produce the next generation, and 2) also these changes should affect the hereditary material. Finally, the interactions between environmental pressures and inherited mutations generates diversity among species.

A single mutation can cause a large effect,. The basis of genetic diversity is the accumulation of many mutations with small effects. These mutational effects can be harmful, beneficial, or neutral, depending on their location or context. Usually non-neutral mutations are deleterious. In fact, the more base pairs that are affected by a mutation will caus...

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...tbreeding. Random forces usually lead to genetic drift. It is possible that there can be random fluctuations in the numbers of alleles in a population. Genetic drift is defined as these changes in relative allele frequency which can either increase or decrease by chance over the period of time.

Migration is the movement of organisms from one location to another, migration when used in a population genetics context often refers to the movement of individuals into or out of a defined population. A sudden influx of alleles is provided when the migrating individuals stay and mate with the destination individuals. After mating is established between the migrating individuals and destination individuals, different types of gametes carrying alleles that can alter the existing proportion of alleles in the destination population is contributed by the migrating individuals.