Which term describes genetic variation within a population?

• A. Genetic diversity
• B. Genetic variation
• C. Mutation
• D. Adaptation

Answer: (B)

Genetic variation measures the differences in the gene makeup among individuals in a population. These differences arise from different alleles at various gene loci, and their frequencies create the visible and hidden diversity within the group. Mutation can introduce new variants, and adaptation describes how populations change in response to environmental pressures, but the term that directly refers to the presence of those differences among individuals is genetic variation. Genetic diversity is a closely related idea that captures the breadth of variation in the gene pool, but the question’s wording points to the specific concept of variation itself.