Asexual Reproduction

Question 1

What is asexual reproduction?

Answer 1

Only one parent is required to produce an offspring.

Question 2

What are the effects of asexual reproduction?

Answer 2

Because there is no fusion of genetic information, the offspring is genetically identical to the parent, like a clone.

Question 3

What are the four types of asexual reproduction in vegetation?

Answer 3

Runners, bulbs, stem tubers, spores.

Question 4

What are ‘runners’?

Answer 4

Stems that grow along the ground. Along the stem, roots are put down and a new plant grows. (e.g. strawberries)

Question 5

What are ‘bulbs’?

Answer 5

The rounded underground storage organ that contains the shoot of a new plant. (e.g. onions)

Question 6

What are ‘stem tubers’?

Answer 6

The thickened part of an underground stem of a plant, with buds from which a new plant grows. (e.g. potatoes)

Question 7

What are ‘spores’?

Answer 7

Spores are very small, singular cells. A plant can produce many spores, which look like powder, and are easily transported. When they are carried by wind, water or animals, they can land and germinate into a new plant.

Question 8

Seeds vs spores

Answer 8

Seeds are a result of sexual reproduction, whereas spores are a result of asexual reproduction.

Question 9

What are the four processes of asexual reproduction in animals?

Answer 9

Binary fission, budding, fragmentation and parthenogenesis.

Question 10

What is binary fission?

Answer 10

A single parent cell doubles its DNA, and divides into two daughter cells. Each new cell now has a copy of the DNA, which results in an offspring. This is common in bacteria.

Question 11

What is budding?

Answer 11

Budding is when a small growth on the surface of the parent breaks off and grows, resulting is the formation of two individuals.

Question 12

What is fragmentation?

Answer 12

Fragmentation is when an organism breaks into two or more fragments and grow again. This is shown in animals like coral and starfish.

Question 13

What is parthenogenesis?

Answer 13

When a female gamete (agg) developes into an embryo without being fertilised by a male gamete. This occurs in some lizards and insects.

Question 14

What are the advantages of asexual reproduction?

Answer 14

Faster population growth, no need for a mate.

Question 15

What are the disadvantages of asexual reproduction?

Answer 15

No genetic variation in the population, unadaptable, disease prone.

Question 16

What is the difference between asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction?

Answer 16

Sexual reproduction requires two parents, egg is fertilised by sperm, offpring are different to the parents, provides genetic variatio, but time-consuming.
Asexual reproduction reuires only one parent, a single organism makes an exact copy of itself, offspring are identical to the parent, fast and easy but has no genetic variation.