Natural Selection and Mutations

Natural selection is the process by which individuals with beneficial traits have a higher chance of surviving and reproducing, passing those traits onto the next generation. This leads to the gradual evolution of a species.

Mutations are the second cause of evolution. They occur when errors in replicating sex cells happen. If a mutation is beneficial, it provides a reproductive advantage within the species and can become a new trait over time.

Gene flow is the spread of new genetic material between populations of the same species. It commonly occurs through migration and increases genetic variation by making populations more similar to one another.