DNA polymorphism forms the basis of genetic mapping and DNA fingerprinting. These polymorphisms arise due to mutations that accumulate generation after generation. What is the primary reason these mutations are able to accumulate in a population?

Step-by-step solution

Polymorphisms largely occur in non-coding DNA sequences. Mutations in these sequences may not have any immediate effect or impact on an individual's reproductive ability. Because these mutations do not impair the organism's ability to reproduce, they are not eliminated by natural selection. Instead, they are passed on to subsequent generations and accumulate over time, forming the basis of DNA polymorphism. Lethal mutations would be eliminated from the population, and actively repaired mutations would not persist t