Discuss how mutations are the key to genetic change and evolution.?

Question

Discuss how mutations are the key to genetic change and evolution.

Answer 1

I answered the question here:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

it's the last answer at the bottom of the page.

Answer 2

No, giraffes did not evolve their long neck by random mutations.

Mutations are NOT the key to genetic change and evolution. The key to genetic change and evolution is sexual reproduction and natural selection. Mutations are nearly 100% bad, especially in highly evolved animals like giraffes.

Just like humans, giraffes vary in height. The taller ones are at an advantage, they have access to more food and therefore have a higher survival and reproduction rate. So their alleles will become more frequent in the population, this is by definition, evolution. As the allele becomes more and more frequent the giraffes evolve longer and longer necks. Evolution is not random like mutations are, it is direct and follows reason.

Answer 3

The generation of new variants creates new potential advantages.  A mutation can create a gene with a slightly different affinity.  In the right environment, this gene will create an advantage, and more copies of the gene will exist as there or more organisms with the gene in that environment.