What is Variation?
'''Variation''' in [[biology]] usually refers to the [[heritable]] differences within a [[species]]. This is important in [[genetics]], and the study of [[evolution]] in natural [[population]]s. Heritable variation is ultimately caused by [[mutation]]s of [[gene]]s and [[chromosome]]s, and shuffled by [[recombination]]. [[Outcrossing]] keeps, and [[inbreeding]] reduces, heritable variation. Other variations are caused during life, and are not passed on to the next generation by [[heredity]]. Variation is also a term used in [[biodiversity]] for the variety of life forms in a given [[ecosystem]]. {{wiktionary}} {{-}} {{biology-stub}} [[Category:Evolutionary biology]] [[Category:Classical genetics]]