LIFE SCIENCES

GRADE 12 CAPS
STRUCTURED, CLEAR, PRACTICAL
- HELPING TEACHERS UNLOCK
THE POWER OF NCS
KNOWLEDGE AREA:
Diversity, Change and
Continuity

TOPIC 4.1:Evolution

Variations
SUMMARY OF PRESENTATION:
Species, Population and Variation

Sources of Variation

Continuous and Discontinuous

Variation
SPECIES, POPULATION AND
VARIATION:
 Species refers to a group of similar organisms
that have the ability to interbreed randomly and
produce fertile offspring.
 Population refers to a group of organisms
of the same species that live in the same habitat
at the same time and has the ability to interbreed
randomly to produce fertile offspring.
SPECIES, POPULATION AND
VARIATION:
 Variation refers to the small differences that
are found within a population or species.
 Some examples of variation are the different coat
colours in horses or the slight differences in the
height of plants or even the differences in
resistance amongst a certain species of bacteria.
TERMINOLOGY:
TERM:
Species
DEFINITION: USE IN SENTENCE:
Species refers to a group of Any to organisms within a
similar organisms that have species are able to
the ability to interbreed interbreed successfully.
randomly and produce
fertile offspring.
TERMINOLOGY:
TERM:
Population
DEFINITION: USE IN SENTENCE:
Population refers to a In a game reserve there
group of organisms of the many be many different
same species that live in populations that live
the same habitat at the together.
same time and has the
ability to interbreed
randomly to produce fertile
offspring.
TERMINOLOGY:
TERM:
Variation
DEFINITION: USE IN SENTENCE:
Variation refers to the small Variation is very important
differences that are found because it ensures the
within a population or survival of the species.
species.
SOURCES OF VARIATION:
 The following process leads to variation…
1. Crossing over and Random Arrangement of
Chromosomes in Meiosis
2. Mutations
3. Chance Fertilization
4. Random Mating

Now lets look at how each of the above

contributes to variation.
SOURCES OF VARIATION:
1. Crossing over and Random Arrangement of
Chromosomes in Meiosis
1.1 Crossing Over
 Remember crossing over occurs during Prophase I
of meiosis.
 During this process the chromatid of one
chromosome intertwines with the chromatid of
another chromosome.
 This leads to an exchange of genetic material.
 Therefore when the chromosome separate they
are genetically different from each other and the
original chromosome.
SOURCES OF VARIATION:
 Therefore the organisms that are produced form
these gametes will show a great deal of variation.

1.2 Random Arrangement of Chromosomes

 As we already know during metaphase I and II of

meiosis chromosomes are arranged at the
equator.
 But their arrangement is random.
 This means that there is no order or pattern to
their arrangement.
SOURCES OF VARIATION:
 It also means that every time meiosis occurs the
chromosomes are arranged in a different way.
 Therefore during anaphase I and II when the
chromosomes or chromatids move to the poles, the
combinations of chromosomes would be different
each time.
 This that the gametes formed will completely different
from each.

2. Mutations:

Remember a mutation is a sudden change,
random change in the genotype of the organism.
SOURCES OF VARIATION:
 This means that the structure of the gene changes.
 This would lead to changes in the genotype and…
 Then changes in the phenotype.
 Therefore no 2 organisms can be the same.
 They would show slight differences (variations).

3. Chance Fertilization:
 During fertilization any sperm will fertilize any egg.
 By this we mean that there is no pattern to
fertilization.
SOURCES OF VARIATION:
 Therefore every time fertilization occurs different
sperms will fertilize different egg.
 This results in different combinations of genetic
material in the offspring.
 Therefore each time the offspring produced will show
slight differences(variations ) to its siblings.

4. Random Mating
 Mating occurs randomly.
 By this we mean once again there is no rule or
pattern that ensures particular organisms within a
species will mate with each other.
SOURCES OF VARIATION:
 Any two members of a species might mate.
 Therefore the egg and sperm that fuse will be
different each time.
 This results in offspring that are produced with
slightly different genotype, which will result in
slight differences in the phenotype.
 Therefore random mating will lead to variation.
CONTINUOUS AND
DISCONTINUOUS VARIATION:
 We will look at 2 different types of variation.
 These are…
1. Continuous variation and
2. Discontinuous variation

3. Continuous Variation
 Continuous variation refers to the
type of variation where there is a range of values.
 This means when you compare the
characteristics you will get many different
values.
CONTINUOUS AND DISCONTINUOUS
VARIATION:
 One easy example is height.
 If we compare the height of people of a particular age group,
we will find the shortest and tallest, but
 There will be a number of different heights in between these
2 values of shortest and tallest.
 In other words there is a gradual change in values from
smallest to the largest value.
 Other examples of continuous variation are…
 height
 weight
 heart rate
 finger length
 leaf length
 Milk yield in cows
 CONTINUOUS AND DISCONTINUOUS
VARIATION:
 The values can plotted
using a bar graph,
histogram or line graph.
 If the values are plotted
as a histogram, a bell
shaped curve will result.
 This means that the graph
will show a low value, a
mean value and a highest
value are all more or less
the same as shown in the
histogram alongside.
CONTINUOUS AND DISCONTINUOUS
VARIATION:
 All the different examples of continuous variation
should have the same shape graph.
 Mean refers to an average value, in this case
average height.
CONTINUOUS AND DISCONTINUOUS
VARIATION:
 Continuous variation occurs because of the combined
effect of many genes.
 This means that it is an example of polygenic inheritance.
 The characteristic of continuous variation can also be
affected by the environment in which the organism occurs.
 For example the different heights can be influenced by
diet.
 By this we mean that all the children do not follow the
same diet.
 Therefore some children will have for example more milk
than the others and this can cause them to be taller than
the others.
CONTINUOUS AND
DISCONTINUOUS VARIATION:
2. Discontinuous Variation
 Discontinuous variation refers to a
characteristic of any species with only a limited
number of possible values for example blood
type in humans.
 There are only 4 blood groups. There is no
range of values.
 This means that you have 1 of the blood groups,
you cannot have for example a mixture of 2
blood types or be between 2 blood types.
CONTINUOUS AND
DISCONTINUOUS VARIATION:
 Discontinuous variation is controlled by a single
allele or gene or a small number of genes.
 The environment does not play a role in influcing
these characteristics.
 Some examples of discontinuous variation are…
 Blood groups
 Gender
CONTINUOUS AND
DISCONTINUOUS VARIATION:
 When these values are
plotted on a graph we
will not get a bell
shaped curve.
 This is because the
values are exact, there
are no in-between
values.
 The graph will look like
the one shown
alongside.
CONTINUOUS AND
DISCONTINUOUS VARIATION:
Differences between continuous and discontinuous
variation.
Continuous Variation Discontinuous Variation
Deals with a range of Deals with a few specific
phenotypes from 1 extreme phenotypes.
to another
Is controlled by a number of Is controlled by a single allele
genes working together or gene or a small number of
genes
CONTINUOUS AND
DISCONTINUOUS VARIATION:
Continuous Variation Discontinuous Variation
Can be influenced by the Is not influenced by the
environment environment
Can be represented by a Represent by a bar graph or
line or bar graph or pie chart, no curve will be
histogram. Will have a formed.
smooth curve.
TERMINOLOGY:
TERM:
Continuous variation
DEFINITION: USE IN SENTENCE:
Refers to variation in For any species a
characteristics among characteristic that changes
individuals of a population gradually over a range of
in which differences are values shows continuous
slight and grade into each variation.
other.
TERMINOLOGY:
TERM:
Discontinuous Variation
DEFINITION: USE IN SENTENCE:
Refers to the variation in a Discontinuous variation is
population in which usually controlled by a
differences are marked and single allele of a gene or
do not grade into each only a few genes.
other.
TERMINOLOGY:
 Species: refers to a group of similar organisms that
have the ability to interbreed randomly and produce
fertile offspring.
 Population: refers to a group of organisms of the
same species that live in the same habitat at the same
time and has the ability to interbreed randomly to
produce fertile offspring.
 Variation: refers to the small differences that are
found within a population or species.
 Continuous variation: refers to variation in
characteristics among individuals of a population in
which differences are slight and grade into each other.
TERMINOLOGY:
 Discontinuous Variation: refers to the variation in
a population in which differences are marked and
do not grade into each other.
 Mutation: is a sudden change, random change
in the genotype of the organism.
 QUESTION 1

1. Boys and girls belong to the same…

A. Species
B. Population
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
 QUESTION 2

2. Small differences between members of the

same species…
A. Population
B. Variation
C. Mutations
D. Meiosis
 QUESTION 3

3. Results in the change to the structure of the

gene…
A. Population
B. Variation
C. Mutations
D. Meiosis
 QUESTION 4

4. Type of variation that can be influenced by the

environment is…
A. Continuous variation
B. Discontinuous variation
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
 QUESTION 5

5. Values can be plotted on a bar graph…

A. Continuous variation
B. Discontinuous variation
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
 QUESTION 6

6. Type of variation that shows a bell curve is…

A. Continuous variation
B. Discontinuous variation
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
 QUESTION 7

7. Height and weight are an example of…

A. Continuous variation
B. Discontinuous variation
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
 QUESTION 8

8. Type of variation that cannot be measured

across a complete group…
A. Continuous variation
B. Discontinuous variation
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
 QUESTION 9

9. The type of variation that is an example of

polygenic inheritance…
A. Continuous variation
B. Discontinuous variation
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
 QUESTION 10

10. Type of variation that is controlled by a single

allele or gene or a small number of genes is…
A. Continuous variation
B. Discontinuous variation
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
SOLUTION:
1. C
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. C
6. A
7. A
8. B
9. A
10. B