Heredity vs. Variation — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 15, 2024
Heredity is the process of passing traits from parents to offspring, ensuring species continuity, whereas variation refers to the differences among individuals within a population.
Difference Between Heredity and Variation
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Heredity is the biological process through which parents pass on physical or behavioral traits to their offspring. This transmission of characteristics is what ensures the continuity and survival of a species, maintaining certain traits over generations. On the other hand, variation refers to the differences observed among individuals within the same species. These differences can be influenced by genetic factors, environmental conditions, or a combination of both, contributing to the diversity within a population.
While heredity operates through genes and chromosomes that carry genetic information from parents to offspring, variation can occur through mutations, genetic recombination during reproduction, or environmental factors affecting gene expression. Heredity ensures that certain foundational traits are preserved, while variation provides the material for evolution and adaptation, allowing species to respond to changes in their environment.
Heredity is consistent within a species, as certain traits are reliably passed from one generation to the next. However, variation is essential for the process of natural selection, where the differential survival and reproduction of individuals cause some genetic traits to become more or less common in a population over time. Without variation, evolution would be impossible.
Genetic variation is the raw material for evolution. It is heredity that ensures the transmission of these genetic instructions from parents to offspring, but it is the variation in these instructions that allows populations to adapt to changing environments, resist diseases, and explore new ecological niches.
While heredity can be seen as the mechanism that ensures continuity and stability within a species, variation is the catalyst for change and adaptation. Together, they play complementary roles in the survival and evolution of species, with heredity providing a stable blueprint and variation offering the possibility for change and improvement.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The biological process of passing traits from parents to offspring.
The differences among individuals within the same species.
Basis
Genetic information in genes and chromosomes.
Mutations, genetic recombination, environmental factors.
Role in Evolution
Provides continuity and stability for species.
Provides the raw material for natural selection and adaptation.
Impact on Population
Ensures certain traits are preserved over generations.
Contributes to diversity and allows for adaptation to changes.
Influence on Individuals
Determines the inherited physical or behavioral traits.
Accounts for the unique combination of traits in an individual.
Compare with Definitions
Heredity
The process by which genes and characteristics are inherited.
Heredity plays a crucial role in the appearance and health of offspring.
Variation
The occurrence of differences among individuals in a population.
Variation in butterfly wing patterns is influenced by genetics and environment.
Heredity
The transmission of traits from parents to offspring.
Eye color is often an inherited trait due to heredity.
Variation
The capacity of organisms to differ from each other.
Variation allows species to adapt to changing environments.
Heredity
The passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically.
The heredity of baldness can be traced through family lines.
Variation
The result of mutations, recombination, and environmental effects.
Variation in bacteria can lead to antibiotic resistance.
Heredity
The genetic inheritance process in living organisms.
Heredity explains why offspring resemble their parents.
Variation
The diversity observed within the same species.
Genetic variation contributes to the wide range of human skin colors.
Heredity
The biological mechanism of trait continuity.
Heredity ensures the survival of species-specific characteristics.
Variation
The genetic and phenotypic differences among individuals.
Variation ensures that no two snowflakes are exactly alike.
Heredity
The genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to offspring.
Variation
A change or slight difference in condition, amount, or level, typically within certain limits
Regional variations in house prices
The figures showed marked variation from year to year
Heredity
The sum of characteristics and associated potentialities transmitted genetically to an individual organism.
Variation
A different or distinct form or version of something
Hurling is an Irish variation of hockey
Heredity
Hereditary transmission of the physical and genetic qualities of parents to their offspring; the biological law by which living beings tend to repeat their characteristics in their descendants.
Variation
The act, fact, or process of varying.
Heredity
Hereditary transmission of the physical and psychical qualities of parents to their offspring; the biological law by which living beings tend to repeat their characteristics in their descendants. See Pangenesis.
Variation
The extent or degree to which something varies
A variation of ten pounds in weight.
Heredity
The biological process whereby genetic factors are transmitted from one generation to the next
Variation
Something different from another of the same type
Told a variation of an old joke.
Heredity
The total of inherited attributes
Variation
Magnetic declination.
Variation
(Biology) The existence within a species or other group of organisms of differences in form, function, or behavior, especially when hereditary.
Variation
(Mathematics) A function that relates the values of one variable to those of other variables.
Variation
A form that is an altered version of a given theme, diverging from it by melodic ornamentation and by changes in harmony, rhythm, or key.
Variation
One of a series of forms based on a single theme.
Variation
A solo dance, especially one forming part of a larger work.
Variation
The act of varying; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of a thing.
Variation
A related but distinct thing.
When the process didn't work, we tried a variation.
All of his soups are variations on a single recipe.
Variation
(nautical) The angular difference at the vessel between the direction of true north and magnetic north.
Magnetic declination
Variation
(board games) A line of play that differs from the original.
Variation
(music) A technique where material is repeated with alterations to the melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre, texture, counterpoint or orchestration; but with some invariant characteristic, e.g. a ground bass.
Variation
(genetics) The modification of a hereditary trait.
Variation
(astronomy) Deviation from the mean orbit of a heavenly body.
Variation
The act of varying; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of a thing; modification; alteration; mutation; diversity; deviation; as, a variation of color in different lights; a variation in size; variation of language.
The essences of things are conceived not capable of any such variation.
Variation
Extent to which a thing varies; amount of departure from a position or state; amount or rate of change.
Variation
Change of termination of words, as in declension, conjugation, derivation, etc.
Variation
Repetition of a theme or melody with fanciful embellishments or modifications, in time, tune, or harmony, or sometimes change of key; the presentation of a musical thought in new and varied aspects, yet so that the essential features of the original shall still preserve their identity.
Variation
One of the different arrangements which can be made of any number of quantities taking a certain number of them together.
Variation
An instance of change; the rate or magnitude of change
Variation
An activity that varies from a norm or standard;
Any variation in his routine was immediately reported
Variation
A repetition of a musical theme in which it is modified or embellished
Variation
Something a little different from others of the same type;
An experimental version of the night fighter
An emery wheel is a modern variant of the grindstone
The boy is a younger edition of his father
Variation
An artifact that deviates from a norm or standard;
He patented a variation on the sandal
Variation
The angle (at a particular location) between magnetic north and true north
Variation
(astronomy) any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite (especially a perturbation of the earth's moon)
Variation
(biology) an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration
Variation
(ballet) a solo dance or dance figure
Variation
The act of changing or altering something slightly but noticeably from the norm or standard;
Who is responsible for these variations in taxation?
Common Curiosities
What is heredity?
Heredity is the process through which traits are passed from parents to offspring, ensuring the continuity of genetic information.
How does heredity affect an organism?
Heredity determines the genetic framework of an organism, influencing its physical appearance, behavior, and susceptibility to certain diseases.
What causes variation in a population?
Variation is caused by genetic mutations, recombination during reproduction, and environmental influences on gene expression.
Can environmental factors influence heredity?
While environmental factors do not alter genetic information directly, they can affect gene expression and, subsequently, traits in offspring.
Why is variation important in nature?
Variation is crucial for the process of natural selection, enabling species to adapt to changing environments and evolve over time.
What is the difference between heredity and inheritance?
Heredity refers to the overall process of passing traits from parents to offspring, while inheritance specifically relates to the genetic material received.
How are heredity and variation related?
Heredity and variation are interrelated, with heredity providing the genetic basis for traits and variation introducing differences among individuals.
Can variation be inherited?
Yes, genetic variations that occur in the germ cells (sperm and eggs) can be inherited by offspring, contributing to the population's genetic diversity.
What role does variation play in evolution?
Variation provides the genetic differences necessary for natural selection to act upon, driving evolutionary changes in populations.
Can lifestyle choices affect heredity?
Lifestyle choices can influence the expression of genes (epigenetics) but do not change the underlying genetic information passed through heredity.
Is heredity the only factor determining an organism's traits?
No, while heredity provides the genetic blueprint, environmental factors and interactions also significantly influence an organism's traits.
How does variation benefit a population?
Variation benefits a population by increasing its adaptability to environmental changes, potentially enhancing survival and reproduction rates.
Do all traits show variation?
Most traits show some degree of variation due to genetic diversity and environmental influences, though some are more variable than others.
How do mutations contribute to variation?
Mutations introduce new genetic variations by altering DNA sequences, which can lead to different traits or characteristics in organisms.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
