Genetic Diversity

• What determines the variety of proteins that makes up each organism?

  DNA.
• What is a gene?


  A section of DNA that codes for one polypeptide.
• What organisms have the same genes?

  Members of the same species.
• What are examples of genes?

  Blood groups, and petal colour.
• What does the characteristic an organism has depend on?

  Which two alleles from the gene with the characteristic they possess.
• What do and don't organisms of the same species differ in?

  Their allele combinations not their genes.
• What is genetic diversity?

  The total number of different alleles in a population.
• What is a population?


  A group of individuals of the same species that live and interact in the same area.
• What does a species consist of?

  One or more populations.
• What increases the genetic diversity of a species?

  The greater the number of different alleles that all members of that species possess.
• Why is a greater genetic diversity more beneficial than a lower one and how?

  As it is more likely individuals will survive an environmental change as there is a wider range of alleles and therefore a greater probability of characteristics that will suit the change.
• What is the process of allele frequency from natural selection?

  Random mutations of alleles may make an individual better adapted and more likely to survive and therefore they will have a better chance of breeding successfully, passing their advantageous alleles onto the next generation, this process and allele continues and increases over time.