Which process increases genetic diversity during meiosis?

• A. Mutation
• B. Crossing over
• C. Binary fission
• D. Replication

Answer: (B)

Crossing over is the process that significantly increases genetic diversity during meiosis. It occurs during prophase I of meiosis when homologous chromosomes pair up and exchange segments of their genetic material. This exchange of genetic information results in new combinations of alleles on each chromosome, creating gametes that are genetically distinct from one another.

As a result, when these gametes fuse during fertilization, they create offspring with unique combinations of genes, contributing to the overall genetic diversity of a population. The other processes mentioned do not have the same impact on genetic diversity during meiosis: mutation introduces new variations but is not part of the meiotic process itself, binary fission is an asexual reproduction method in prokaryotes that does not involve meiosis, and replication refers to DNA duplication prior to cell division, which does not alter genetic diversity.