VARIATION AND NATURAL

SELECTION

VARIATION
Differences between individuals of the same species is
called variation.
Differences between the features of different individuals
are called Phenotypic variation.
There are two kinds of variation
1. Discontinuous variation
2. Continuous variation

E.g: Blood groups

Everyone fits in the 4
groups-A,B,AB,O

E.g:Height
Has no definite height

TWO TYPES OF VARIATION

Environmental
Genetic variation variation

Individuals have
different genotypes. The difference between
the
environments
of
Blood groups is
individuals
controlled by genes.
Eg: Giraffes necks
Eg: Hair colour, eye
grew long because the
colour, height and
adapted to have the
leaves on the tall trees.
many other
characteristics.

CAUSES OF GENETIC VARIATION:

1) MUTATION:
)Genetic change(change in genes)
)Mutation is how new alleles are formed.
)Mutations are really the source of all genetic variation.
)Mutation can affect whole chromosomes.
-As the egg cell has 21 chromosomes and 2 on one, this
is can cause the child Downs syndrome(Tisomy of 21)
)Down syndrome effects)Children usually are very happy and friendly people.
)They can have heart problems, physical and

Ionizing radiation is the most important factor for

mutation.
Radiation can damage the bases in DNA molecules, if this
happens in the ovaries or testes altered DNA may be
passed to the offspring.
Heavy metals such as mercury, lead and their compounds
can interfere with process in which DNA is copied.
Chemicals which can cause mutations are called
mutagens.
2)Meiosis
3)Fertilisation

ADAPTIVE FEATURE
An inherited feature that helps an organism
to survive and reproduce in its environment
or
The inherited functional features of an
organism that increases its fitness.
Only well adapted individuals have a good
chance of living long enough to reproduce.
Fitness- how well the organism is adapted
The greater the organisms fitness, the

FEATURES:
Xerophytes-Plants that are adapted to live in places where water
is in short supply are xerophytes.
Closing stomata-closing stomata will slow down transpiration.
Waxy cuticle-the wax makes the leaf waterproof.
Hairy leaves- this hair traps a layer of moist air.
Stomata on underside of leaves-so less water evaporates.
Cutting down on the surface area-smaller the surface, less water
will evaporate.
Having deep or spreading roots
Hydrophytes-Plants that live in very wet places, including those

SELECTION

In 19th century, Charles Darwin suggested a theory of

how evolution could have happened.
Variation
Over-production-will produce more young one than will
survive to adulthood.
Struggle for existence
Survival of the fittest- only the organisms which are
really well adapted to their environment will survive.
Advantageous characteristics passed on to the offspring.
Gradual change- this is called as natural selection
because it suggests that the best adapted organisms are
selected to pass on their characteristics to the next

An example of evolution in natural

selection
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria-Penicillin
Penicillin works by stopping bacteria from forming
cell walls.
If some bacteria becomes resistant to one, they may
be treated with another.
The more we use an antibiotic the more we are
exerting a selection pressure which favours the
resistant forms.
MRSA-this can cause infections that are very difficult
to treat.

STABILISING SELECTION
Natural selection does not always produce
change.
Natural selection ensures that the organisms are
best adapted to their environment will survive.
Change will only occur if the environment
changes, or if a new mutation appears which
adapts the organism better to the existing
environment.
Natural selection tends to keep populations very

SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA

A genetic disease called sickle cell anaemia is an example of natural
selection.
A normal allele-HB^A mutants to Hb^S.(faulty haemoglobin)
This changes the sequence of the amino acids which changes the
way haemoglobin should work.
Hb^S has a tendency to produce fibres inside red blood cells when
oxygen concentration is low. The RBC s get pulled in the sickle shape
and get stuck in blood capillaries.-this is called Sickle cell crisis.
When a person has sickle cell anaemia, it may feel tired and short of
breath.
Frequent crisis can damage organs, including kidneys ,liver ,eyes and
heart.

Continued..
The two alleles are codominant.
Heterozygous people dont usually show any
symptoms.
Malaria is a disease caused by single celled
parasite that is injected into the body when an
infected mosquito bites.
Malaria is common in many parts of the world
where the sickle cell is present in population.
Homozygous people get affected faster than of
heterozygous.

SELECTIVE BREEDING
Selective breeding(also called artificial selection) is
the process by which humans use
animalbreedingand plantbreedingto
selectivelydevelop particular phenotypic
characteristics by choosing which typically animal or
plant males and females will sexually reproduce and
have offspring together.
Individuals with advantageous characteristics breed,
while those with disadvantageous ones do not.

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
Wikipedia
Google images
Biology text book
THANKYOU
-MANSI KOTKAR