To save: right-click (Windows) or control-click (Mac) on the image and select "Save image."

Neutral theory - Selection and drift on scale Image caption: The neutral theory of molecular evolution suggests that most of the genetic variation in populations is the result of mutation and genetic drift, not selection. The theory suggests that if a population carries several different versions of a gene, odds are that each of those versions is equally good at performing its job — in other words, that variation is neutral: whether you carry gene version A or gene version B does not affect your fitness. << Back to search results

Image credit:
If you use this image in your own non-commercial project please credit it to the University of California Museum of Paleontology's Understanding Evolution (http://evolution.berkeley.edu).