Living Environment Regents Practice Test

How does an ameba, a single-celled organism, commonly produce variations?

1. Through sexual reproduction

2. Through asexual reproduction

3. Through random mutations

4. Through environmental changes

The correct answer is: Through random mutations

The production of variations in an ameba, a single-celled organism, occurs primarily through random mutations. Amebas reproduce asexually, typically by binary fission, which means they create copies of themselves without contributing genetic variation through sexual reproduction. However, random mutations can occur during DNA replication. These mutations may introduce new traits or variations in some offspring compared to the parental organism. While environmental changes can influence the expression of traits and adaptations, they do not directly create genetic variations. Thus, in an ameba's case, random mutations are the primary source of genetic variability, allowing the organism to adapt to its environment over time and potentially leading to evolutionary changes.