Core mechanisms of evolutionary change

Definition of evolution in populations

Evolution in populations is defined as the change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It happens when evolutionary processes act on genetic variation within a population, causing certain traits (determined by heritable factors) to become more or less common over time. In the modern evolutionary view, evolution involves changes in allele frequencies among interbreeding individuals. Genetic variation arises from sources such as mutation, reshuffling through sexual reproduction, and migration between populations (gene flow). Evolution is driven by forces including natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow, which together determine how genetic variants spread, persist, or disappear across generations.

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Genetic variation and allele frequency change

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