Explain why variation within a population is essential for evolution.Hint: There are two key points you can include here.

Variation within a population is essential for evolution for two main reasons:

1. Survival and Adaptation: Variation within a population means that some individuals will have traits that are better suited to their environment than others. These individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on these advantageous traits to their offspring. This process is known as natural selection. Over time, these traits become more common within the population, leading to evolutionary change.

2. Genetic Diversity: Variation also increases the genetic diversity within a population. This is important because it means that the population has a greater ability to adapt to changes in the environment. If a population has low genetic diversity and the environment changes, it's possible that none of the individuals will have the traits necessary to survive in the new conditions. But if there is a lot of variation, it's more likely that at least some individuals will have the traits needed to survive and reproduce in the new environment. This genetic diversity, therefore, increases the long-term survival of the species.