Asexual And Sexual Reproduction Flashcards
What is asexual reproduction?
Asexual reproduction occurs when there is only one parent that gives rise to an offspring with identical genetic makeup.
It is common in single-celled organisms like bacteria and some multicellular organisms such as fungi and plants.
What is sexual reproduction?
Sexual reproduction involves combining genetic information from two parents to produce a new organism that is a combination of both parents.
This type of reproduction occurs in most complex organisms.
List two advantages of sexual reproduction.
- High genetic variability
- Facilitates adaptation
- ‘Speeds’ up evolution
What is a disadvantage of sexual reproduction?
- Energy costly
- Courtship is time/resource consuming
- Usually sacrifices the fitness of one sex to the other
List two advantages of asexual reproduction.
- Saves energy
- Courtship is a non-issue
- Greatest increase in fitness for each individual
What is a disadvantage of asexual reproduction?
- Low genetic variability
- Adaptation to environment is difficult
- ‘Retards’ evolution
Fill in the blank: Asexual reproduction has _______ genetic variability.
low
True or False: Sexual reproduction generally leads to lower adaptation to the environment compared to asexual reproduction.
False
Fill in the blank: Sexual reproduction usually requires _______ that can be time-consuming.
courtship
