Question

How are hereditary changes responsible for evolution?

Answer 1

Hint: Heredity is the passing on the traits from the parents to their offspring. We understand heredity in the case of passing of some visible features in children that have matching features to their parents and grandparents. The passage of genetic patterns in families over generations gives an idea of evolution.

Complete answer:
- Heredity is the passage of traits from parents to their offspring derived from sexual or asexual reproduction.
- The offspring derives the genetic material from the parents through the process known as inheritance.
- Heredity gives rise to variations in offspring which may or may not be beneficial to organisms. The beneficial traits help them survive and reproduce further. Thus, this is a form of natural selection.
- Natural selection of variations that are inherited helps in the evolution of the species. Thus, modifications of inherited traits and inheritance of acquired traits cause the species to evolve.

Additional information:
- Heredity is also known as inheritance or biological inheritance.
- An example of inheritance is the eye colour in human beings. The eye colour of the offspring may match the eye colour of one of their parents or a combination of both of them.
- Heritable traits from one generation to the next are passed through their DNA.
- Variations in the offspring can arise from mutations, chromosomal abnormalities, sex chromosome-linked changes, etc.

Note:
- Inherited visible changes in an individual can be included as a phenotype. Phenotype is the complete set of observable characteristics in an organism.
- The concept of heredity was first studied in detail by Gregor Mendel in his pea plant experiments.