Chapter 18

Variation and selection

Brainstorming

• State few ways in

which cats are different
from one another.

• Do all cats belong to same

species?
• Variation is the differences between individuals of the same

species.

• Genetic variations are those variation that can be inherited and

are determined by genes.

• Phenotypic variation may be brought about by genes, but can

also be caused by the environment, or combination of both

genes and environment.

 Types of variation

➢There are two types of variation.

✓ Continuous variation
✓ Discontinuous variation.
CONTINOUS VARIATION
• If you measured the heights of all
the pupils in your year group, you
would find a range of heights from
the shortest to the tallest. If you
divide the class into groups (170cm
to 179cm, etc.) you can plot a
frequency histogram. It is likely that
the mean height will be in the middle
of the range and correspond to the
group with the largest number of
people. This type of distribution is
called a normal distribution
 This type of variation is called
continuous variation because there
is a continuous range of heights
from shortest to tallest. There are
many genes that contribute to your
overall height.

But other factors such as the

quantity and quality of the food
you eat and the amount of exercise
you take influence your height.
Also, people go through their
growth spurts at different ages,
and this will influence the results
you get from your class.
 CONTINOUS VARIATION

➢ Continuous variation is influenced by a combination of

both genetic and environmental factors.

➢ Continuous variation results in a range of phenotypes between

two extremes, with no distinct categories e.g., height in
humans.

➢ There are all possible intermediates between very short and

very tall.
 Continuous variation

PHENOTYPIC (CONTINUOUS) VARIATION ARE USUALLY THESE CHARACTERISTICS ARE

CONTROLLED BY SEVERAL PAIRS OF ALLELES AFFECTING USUALLY QUANTITATIVE (CAN BE
THE SAME CHARACTERISTIC AND CAN BE INFLUENCED BY
MEASURED).
THE ENVIRONMENT.
 • A line graph can be used to represent continuous
Continuous variation variation. Some examples of continuous
variation are : height. weight.
Continuous variation
E.g.
• There might be five pairs of alleles
for height –(Hh), (Tt), (Ee), (Ll) and
(Gg).
• Each dominant allele adding 4cm to
your height.
• You could be 40cm taller than a
person who inherited all ten
recessive genes (hh, tt, etc.).
 Continuous variation

Continuously variable characteristics are greatly

influenced by the environment.

A person may inherit genes for tallness and yet

not get enough food to grow tall.
Continuous variations in human populations, such as
height, physique and intelligence, are always the result of
interaction between the genotype and the environment.
DISCONTINOUS
VARIATION
• Some people have attached ear lobes.
Other people’s ear lobes are free and
not attached. This is an example of
discontinuous variation. In this type of
variation there is usually a small
number of phenotypes (e.g., attached
and not attached ear lobes) and no
intermediates. If you collect data
about a feature showing this type of
variation, you plot it as a bar chart
Discontinuous
variation

• Discontinuous variation, the

variations take the form
of distinct, alternative
phenotypes with no intermediates.

• Discontinuous variation results in a

limited number of phenotypes.
• Discontinuous variation results, usually, from the effects of
single pair of alleles or a small number of genes and cannot be
changed by the environment

• An organism either has the characteristic or it doesn’t have

it.

• These characteristics are

usually, qualitative i.e., they
cannot be measured.
• The ABO blood
group system is
another example.
Everyone has an ABO
blood group – it is
either A, B, AB or O.
There are no
intermediates.
Discontinuous
variation is
represented by bar
graph.
Write down differences
between continuous and
discontinuous variation and give
three examples of each.
 Genetic variation may be
the result of new
combination of genes in
the zygote, or mutation.

New
combinations Sexual reproduction leads
to variation .
of genes
It mixes up the genetic
material by crossing over,
Independent assortment
and fertilization.
• Make a VENN diagram on board
to explain that phenotypic
variations may be brought about
by genes but can also be cause by
environment or a combination of
both.
0610/03/M/J/07 Q-5
• A genetic dwarf
cannot grow taller by
eating more food. Is it
discontinuous
variation?