The state of being heterozygous; the condition of having two different versions of a gene in a population or organism, which increases genetic diversity.
From Greek 'hetero-' (different) and 'zygosity' (pairing), forming the noun describing the degree or frequency of mixed genetic inheritance.
Heterozygosity is nature's insurance policy—populations with high heterozygosity can adapt to diseases and climate change way better than genetically uniform ones, which is why isolated species on islands are so vulnerable.
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