Sources
Mutations are the ultimate source of genetic variation because they alter the order of bases in the nucleotides of DNA. Mutations are likely to be rare and most mutations are neutral or deleterious, but in some instances the new alleles can be favored by natural selection.
Genetic variation can also be produced by the recombination of chromosomes that occurs during sexual reproduction, called independent assortment.
Crossing over and random segregation during meiosis can result in the production of new alleles or new combinations of alleles. Furthermore, random fertilization also contributes to variation.
Variation and recombination can be facilitated by transposable and transposed genetic elements, commonly known as endogenous retroviruses, LINEs, SINEs, etc.
Read more about this topic: Genetic Variation
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