What are mutations in biological terms?

Mutations refer specifically to alterations in genetic material. This can encompass a variety of changes, including modifications to individual DNA bases, larger-scale substitutive changes that involve segments of the DNA, or structural adjustments in chromosomes.

The significance of mutations lies in their potential impact on an organism's traits and functions. They can lead to variations that may enhance adaptability, contribute to evolution over time, or result in genetic disorders if the changes affect essential genes. Understanding mutations is crucial as they are the fundamental source of genetic diversity in populations and play a significant role in processes like natural selection and speciation.

Other options, while they relate to genetics or organisms, do not accurately define mutations. Changes in an organism's environment refer to external factors affecting survival, the introduction of new genes pertains to genetic engineering rather than natural mutation processes, and rearrangements of chromosomes are a specific type of mutation, not a definition of what mutations are as a whole.