The main difference between Heredity and Variation is that Heredity is the method that transfers characters, some similarities and also the differences to the offspring of the parents, while Variation shows some visible differences that represent the individuals within the offspring and the species. ..

Inheritance versus variation

The procedure that intervenes in the transfer of characters, some similarities and also some differences with the offspring of the parents is inheritance. On the other hand, the variation shows some observable differences in the individual that occurs within the offspring and the species. Heredity is not due to diversity in the population of species. Rather, variation plays a role in diversity within the population.

Heredity does not influence the process of evolution; on the other hand, the variation leads to the evolution of the population by presenting new phenotypic types to the species. Heredity refers to the transmission of characters from one generation to another; on the other hand, variation refers to the differences that occur in the characteristics shown by the organisms of a species.

Some examples of inheritance are attachments versus free lobes, flat feet versus arches, seed type, flower color, some genetic diseases, etc. On the contrary, some examples of variation are skin color, eye color, freckles, dimples, hair color etc.

Comparative chart

Heredity is known as the transfer of characters from parents to their descendants through sexual reproduction. The concept of inheritance is mostly “how to beget.” This concept means that all living or existing organisms are likely to produce offspring that look like them.

On the count, heredity is the main reason for causing similarities from generation to generation in a particular species. The transmission of genetic material from parents makes the transfer of similar characteristics from parents to children through sexual reproduction.

Transferable traits identify hereditary traits among the offspring. Identical twins are likely to have the same genetic material, but their phenotypic characters may vary under the influence of many environmental factors.

Organisms obtain exact similar copies from their parents in asexual reproduction, while in sexual reproduction, half of the genes come from the mother and half from the father. Therefore, offspring are more likely to be similar to their parents than any other unrelated individual.

Although genetic work determines the external appearance or phenotype of the offspring, for example, some tall plants may stunt when in a harsh environment due to a lack of water and other nutrients. Some examples of inheritance are earlobes conjoined versus free, flat feet versus arches, seed type, flower color, some genetic diseases, etc.

What is variance?

Many phenotypic characteristics in an offspring may be similar to the parents, but some phenotypic characteristics are not, and these different phenotypic characteristics are known as the variation in the individual within the species. Differences in characteristics are also known as variance.

Variation types

• Hereditary variation: Variation caused by some changes that occur in the structure or function of the gene, which is normally inherited from parents to children, is known as inherited variation.
• Environmental variation: the particular genotype can be influenced by some environmental factors such as temperature, food, light, humidity and some other external factors, and as a result, produce two different phenotypes. The two phenotypic variations that arise from the same genotype are known as environmental variation.
• Somatic variation: Variation that occurs in the body’s somatic cells is known as somatic variation. Like somatic cells, they are not inherited from the offspring, so their influence is considered negligible. Somatic cells are also known as acquired variations, as they adapt during an individual’s life.
• Germ variation: Variations that occur in the reproductive cells (germ cells) of the body are known as germ variation. Germ variation is considered heritable for offspring from parents, and it also provides rare components to participate in evolution.
• Continuous variation: Variation, which is considered small and unclear, which can change with some environmental factors, is known as continuous variation. Continuous variation does not influence evolution because they are not part of heredity. The most common type of variation that occurs between individuals in a population is continuous variation.
• Discontinuous variation: Variation that is considered large, clear, with sudden variations and less affected by environmental factors is known as discontinuous variation. Since discontinuous variation participates in evolution through natural selection, these variations are considered heritable.

1. Heredity is the transfer of a unique set of traits from parents to their offspring; on the contrary, variation is the cause of producing observable changes within the species in a population.
2. The inheritance transfers some parental characteristics, similarities and also the differences in the offspring of their parents; on the other hand, variation represents some visible differences in a population within species and offspring.
3. Heredity plays no role in the diversity of a population; on the other hand, variation plays an important role and is responsible for diversity within the population.
4. Heredity does not participate in the process of evolution; conversely, variation participates in evolution by introducing many new phenotypic traits within the species.
5. Earlobe conjoined in front of free lobes, flat feet in front of arches, seed type, flower color, genetic diseases are some kinds of inheritance; on the other hand, hair color, skin color, eye color, freckles, dimples, etc. are some types of variation.

Final Thought

The above discussion concludes that heredity and variation are manifested in the result of the sexual reproduction of organisms. Heredity plays a role in transferring a unique set of characteristics from ancestors to offspring, whereas variation is the observable difference in the traits of species in a population.