What role does mutation play in evolution?

Mutation plays a fundamental role in evolution by creating genetic variation, which is essential for the process of natural selection. Genetic mutations are changes in the DNA sequence that can introduce new traits into a population. These traits can be beneficial, neutral, or harmful, depending on their impact on an organism's fitness in its environment.

When mutations lead to advantageous traits, those traits may increase an individual's chances of survival and reproduction. Over time, these beneficial mutations can spread throughout the population, leading to evolutionary changes. This process of variation followed by selection is a key mechanism by which species adapt to changing environments and can lead to the development of new species.

The other choices do not accurately represent the role of mutation in evolution. For example, ensuring stability in gene frequencies or resulting in uniform traits contradicts the primary function of mutations, which is to introduce variability. Additionally, while mutations can contribute to extinction in some cases, they are not a direct cause of species extinction; rather, it’s the interaction of various factors, including environmental changes and competition, that can lead to extinction events.