The Importance of Genetic Variation

The Importance of Genetic Variation

Genetic variation refers to the differences that individuals have in their DNA sequences. This variation comes from the process of meiosis and sexual reproduction, and it is the primary reason why individuals of a single species (such as humans or dogs) are visually different. You may resemble your relatives, but you have unique features that enable people to tell you apart.

What if the amount of genetic variation was very low? What if a population of individuals was made up of genetically identical individuals? Would there be a benefit to this? Would this be a bad situation? In this discussion, you will address the importance of genetic variation within a population. To do this, identify a real life example of a population (plant or animal) that has or had very little genetic variation. 

Your initial post, due on Wednesday, should

Identify a real-life example of a population (plant or animal) that has or had very little genetic variation. 
Explain how the example population came to have such little genetic variation.
Provide resources supporting your explanation and identification.
Properly cite any references that you use to support your ideas (you should use at least one source).