Reproduction

• Asexual Reproduction

  • Requires one parent
  • Parent cell divides and generates offspring that is genetically identical
• Sexual Reproduction

  • Requires two parents
  • Haploid (n) gamete from each parent combines
  • Forms a genetically unique (2n) offspring
• Haploid

  The number of chromosomes contained within the gametes (sex cells) of reproducing organisms (eg. female - egg , male - sperm)
• Diploid

  The number of chromosomes contained within the somatic (body) cells
• Asexual Reproduction (Plants)

  • Multiple forms of asexual reproduction
  • Includes tubers, bulbs, rhizomes and runners
• Bulbs

  Underground storage organ that consists of a short stem surrounded by fleshy leaves. New shoots (plants) develop from the bulb
• Runners

  • Side branches that grow close to the ground
  • Spread from the parent plant
  • Lay down new roots which develops new plantlets on them
• Sexual Reproduction (Plants)

  • Flowers are important for sexual reproduction
  • Produce male (pollen grains) and female (ovum) sex cells
  • Must meet for reproduction to begin (pollination)
• Female Parts of Flower (Pistil)


  • Stigma
  • Style
  • Ovary
  • Ovule
  • Ovum (contained in the ovules)
• Male Parts of Flower (Stamen)


  • Anther
  • Filament
• Additional Parts of Flower

  • Petal
  • Sepal
• Asexual Reproduction (Animals)


  Multiple forms including:

  • Budding
  • Regeneration
  • Fragmentation
  • Parthenogenesis
• Budding

  The process in which new organisms develop from small parts (outgrowth) on the parent organism's body
• Regeneration

  Organisms being capable of regrowing certain body parts
• Fragmentation

  Fragment of the parent organism breaks off and develops into an entirely new but genetically identical individual
• Parthenogenesis

  The process where offspring develops from the female gamete without the prior fertilisation from the male gamete
• Sexual Reproduction (Animals)


  • Haploid (n) male and female gametes unite (fertilisation)
  • Produces genetically unique diploid (2n) offspring
• Types of Fertilisation

  • Internal Fertilisation
  • External Fertilisation
• Internal Fertilisation

  Sperm and egg unite within the female body
• External Fertilisation

  Sperm and egg unite outside of the female body
• Advantages of Asexual Reproduction

  • Energy efficient
  • Requires only 1 parent
  • No courtship required
• Disadvantages of Asexual Reproduction

  • Low genetic diversity
  • More prone to environmental change
  • Inhibits adaptation
• Advantages of Sexual Reproduction

  • High genetic diversity
  • Less prone to environmental change
  • Facilitates adaptation
• Disadvantages of Sexual Reproduction

  • Energy costly
  • Requires 2 parents
  • Courtship is time and resource consuming
• Advantages of Internal Fertilisation

  • Fertilisation more likely to occur
  • Embryo protected from predators
  • Offspring more likely to survive
• Disadvantages of Internal Fertilisation

  • Higher energy requirement to find mate
  • Less offspring produced
  • More energy required to raise and care for young
• Advantages of External Fertilisation

  • Little energy required to mate
  • Large numbers of offspring produced
  • Offspring can be spread = less likely
• Disadvantages of External Fertilisation

  • Many gametes go unfertilised
  • Offspring often not protected by parents; many die
• What are Fungi?

  Fungi are a group of organisms that include mushrooms, molds, and yeasts. They are eukaryotic and obtain nutrients by decomposing organic matter or by forming symbiotic relationships with other organisms.
• Hyphae

  • Basic structural unit of fungi
  • Above ground = fruiting body
  • Below ground = mycelium
• Reproduction in Fungi

  Fungi reproduce both asexually and sexually
• Asexual Reproduction (Fungi)


  • Primary mode of reproduction
  • Includes fragmentation, budding and spores (haploid and diploid)
  • Produce haploid (n) spores asexually by mitosis at the tips of specialised hyphae in the fruiting body
  • Genetically identical to the parent
• Sexual Reproduction (Fungi)


  • Produces spores sexually in response to adverse environmental conditions
  • Can be homothallic or heterothallic
  • Mating cell types are known as a and α cells
  • Specialised haploid (n) hyphae fuse together to form a diploid cell (2n)
  • Genetically unique diploid cell undergoes meiosis to produce new haploid (n) spores
• What are Protists?

  • Diverse group that is best described as eukaryotic organisms which are neither true plants, animals or fungi
  • Reclassified to the kingdom Protoctista
  • Reproduce both asexually and sexually
• Asexual Reproduction (Protists)


  • Primary mode of reproduction
  • Multiple forms including binary fission, multiple fission, budding etc.
• Binary Fission

  • Division of the parent body into two equal daughter individuals
  • Done through the process of mitosis
• Multiple Fission

  Division of the parent organism into several daughter individuals
• Sexual Reproduction (Protists)


  • Occurs only under environmental stress
  • Increases the likelihood of individuals surviving the adverse environmental conditions
  • Types of sexual reproduction include syngamy and conjugation
• Sygamy

  • Involves the permanent fusion of two haploid gametes
  • Produces a diploid zygote
• Conjugation

  • Two individuals temporarily bond to form a cytoplasmic bridge
  • Haploid pronuclei are formed during a meiotic division of the diploid micronucleus
  • These haploid pronuclei are exchanged and fuse to form a new genetically unique diploid zygote nucleus
  • Continue to reproduce asexually via binary fission until the next sexual cycle