Which of the following is a characteristic of polygenic inheritance?

Polygenic inheritance refers to the scenario where multiple genes collectively influence a single trait. A key characteristic of this type of inheritance is that it produces continuous variation in phenotypes, meaning that the traits do not fall into distinct categories but rather show a range of variations. For example, traits like height, skin color, and intelligence are influenced by many genes, resulting in a spectrum of outcomes rather than clear-cut, separate groups.

This variation occurs because each gene contributes a small, additive effect to the overall phenotype. As a result, you can observe a gradual blend of traits, creating characteristics such as light brown, dark brown, or various shades in eye color, rather than fixed categories. This continuous variation is a hallmark of polygenic traits and highlights the complexity of genetic contributions to phenotypic diversity.