Reproductive Strategies

Question 1

Suggest why organisms such as the water flea are stimulated by certain adverse environmental conditions to enter a sexual phase of reproduction.

Answer 1

Offspring need to adapt to new conditions in order to survive and sexual reproduction leads to variation.

Question 2

Explain what is meant by the term internal fertilisation.

Answer 2

The fusion of gametes/sperm and eggs by the use of an intromittent organ.

Question 3

Give three advantages of internal fertilisation and development to terrestrial organisms.

Answer 3

More chance of gametes meeting and therefore less are wasted.
Gametes become independent of water.
Fertilised eggs develop inside the body of the female.

Question 4

Suggest three reasons why the flowering plants have been so successful in the colonisation of the land.

Answer 4

Rapid life cycle.
Food store enables seed to survive for a long periods and allows rapid growth of the embryo.
Seed protected by resistant outer layer.
Pollination by wind or animals.
Produces large number of seeds.

Question 5

Give one potential advantage of reproducing asexually.

Answer 5

Allows a rapid increase in numbers, where environment is stable.

Question 6

State the names of the two types of metamorphosis.

Answer 6

Incomplete metamorphosis and complete metamorphosis.