Question

Darwin hypothesized that there are definite steps to natural selection. One is populations are large and in the population variation exists. Consider this population of disease-causing bacteria. What is the MOST LIKELY cause for variation in this population?
Responses
A over-populationover-population
B drug resistancedrug resistance
C genetic mutationgenetic mutation
D sexual reproduction

Answer 1

C — genetic mutation.

Mutations (and bacterial horizontal gene transfer like conjugation, transformation or transduction) create genetic variation in bacterial populations. Overpopulation or drug resistance are outcomes/conditions, and true sexual reproduction does not occur in bacteria.