Biological variation in populations is the process by which genetic and phenotypic differences arise, are maintained, and change in frequency among individuals within a species. It results from the combined action of mutation, recombination, gene flow, genetic drift, and natural and sexual selection, acting on genomes across generations. At the population level, this variation underlies differences in traits such as morphology, physiology, behavior, and fitness-related characteristics, and is quantified using measures like allele frequencies, heterozygosity, and quantitative trait distributions. Population-level biological variation provides the raw material for adaptive evolution and influences population dynamics, speciation potential, and responses to environmental change.
When species are subjected to changing environments, they can survive in their current location through genetic adaptation. However, this ability is not unlimited. In a study published in PNAS, biomathematician Jitka Polechová ...
Evolution
May 11, 2026
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Shapes of beaks and snouts come in an extraordinary range of forms, reflecting adaptations to different lifestyles and environments. Yet beneath this diversity lies a paradox: across birds and mammals, faces are built using ...
Evolution
May 7, 2026
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Watermelon is a quintessential summertime fruit, evoking images of warm, sunny afternoons and cookouts with friends and family. You can easily picture its striped, green rind and pink flesh, imagine the delicate crunch as ...
Molecular & Computational biology
May 5, 2026
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Every evening, as they move from place to place through the forest, chimpanzees stop to build a nest—most often in a tree—to sleep in. Using a selection of branches, leaves and twigs, they create comfortable and safe spaces ...
Plants & Animals
May 3, 2026
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As climate change accelerates and global temperatures continue to rise, a new randomized clinical trial provides compelling evidence that one of the most powerful climate solutions may be on our plates. A study published ...
Environment
May 2, 2026
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Birds sing the most about an hour before dawn, when the air is at its stillest. Theoretically, this enables sounds to travel farther, making song up to 20 times more effective than if sung at midday.
Plants & Animals
Apr 29, 2026
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When Hurricane Maria made its ferocious landfall on the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico in September 2017, the loss extended beyond several thousand human lives: The damage to the island's natural ecosystems, including its ...
Ecology
Apr 29, 2026
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The genes that could help the world's crops survive drought, heat, and disease probably already exist. But much of this genetic diversity remains hidden within ancient plant varieties and forgotten seed collections, among ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Apr 28, 2026
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New research shows that variation in mating behaviors, parental care and differences in ornamentation of the sexes in bird species is driven by demographics rather than vice versa. An international team of researchers from ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 22, 2026
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Research into human genomic diversity has a number of applications in biomedicine, evolution, and history. However, many populations have historically been underrepresented on the human genomic map. This is the case of Native ...
Evolution
Apr 22, 2026
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