Modern evolutionary theory and mechanisms

Definition of evolution in heritable traits

Evolution is 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 (encoded by genes) to become more or less common over time. In the modern view, evolution is reflected in changes in allele frequencies across generations, driven by mechanisms such as natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow. Heritable traits are passed from parents to offspring through DNA. Genes are specific DNA sequences, alleles are different versions of those sequences, and mutations can create new alleles that may affect the phenotype (observable traits). While some traits are influenced by multiple genes and by interactions with the environment, evolution specifically concerns traits that can be inherited—meaning they are transmitted through genetic information rather than purely environmental effects.

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Evolution via genetic drift and natural selection

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