6 The Origin and Maintenance of Genetic Variation

Description: Principles of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior (EEB 122) Mutations are the origin of genetic diversity. Mutations introduce new traits, while selection eliminates most of the reproductively unsuccessful traits. Sexual recombination of alleles can also account for much of the genetic diversity in sexual species. In some instances, population size can affect diversity and rates of evolution and fixation, but in other cases population size does not matter. Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: open.yale.edu This course was recorded in Spring 2009.