What is the difference between mutation and variation?

Difference between variation andmutation. A mutation is a change that occurs in the genome of an individual organism. Mutations can be spontaneous (they just happen). ... Genetic variation, variation in alleles of genes, occurs both within and among populations.


Mutation and variation are two simultaneous events involved in the process of evolution. The main difference between mutation and variation is that mutation is an alteration in the nucleotide sequence of a gene whereas variation is any difference between individuals of a particular species. Mutations may arise due to environmental factors such as chemicals and UV. Germline mutations are inherited by the offspring. Somatic mutations occur in the ordinary body cells. Variation can occur due to mutations, genetic recombination, gene flow, genetic drift, random mating, random fertilization, and environmental factors. Variation may also cause evolution through natural selection.