asexual reproduction Flashcards
Asexual reproduction
A mode of reproduction in which a new offspring is produced by a single parent.
What do things that undergo asexual reproduction produce?
Clones
What are the advantages of asexual reproduction?
- No need to find a sexual partner
- Time and energy to produce offspring is minimal
- Population sizes can increase rapidly in optimal environments
- Offspring are genetically identical, so are well suited to a stable environment
What are the 6 methods of asexual reproduction?
- Binary fission
- fragmentation
- budding
- spore formation (sporogenesis)
- parthenogenesis
- vegetative propagation
Fragmentation
A parent organism breaks into fragments
Vegetative propagation
A new plant grows from specialised plant tissue that is broken away from the parent.
Budding
A group of cells on a parent organism have increased cell growth, form a bud and break away.
What are the disadvantages of asexual reproduction?
- Lack of genetic diversity
- A population is vulnerable if the environment changes
- Rapid population growth can lead to overcrowding and increased competition for resources
Binary fission
A parent organism divides into two identical, equal sized organisms.
Parthenogenesis
A single unfertilised egg (female gamete) develops into an embryo.
Spore formation (sporogenesis)
A spore is a single reproductive cell encased in a protective coating that forms on the surface of the parent organism.
What are the 5 forms of Vegetative propagation
- Stolon
- Tuber
- Rhizome
- Bulbs
- Sucker
Explain which method of reproduction creates more genetic variation.
sexual reproduction. This is because the purpose of sexual reproduction is to create genetic diversity whereas asexual reproduction creates clones.
