Evaluating sexual and asexual reproduction

• Reproduction occurs in all organisms
• DNA is important as it allows new proteins to be synthesized
• Mutations in the DNA can have serious implications
• Advantages of sexual reproduction:

  • Produces variation in the offspring
  • Species can adapt to new environments due to variation, giving them a survival advantage
  • Disease is less likely to affect all individuals in a population
  • Humans can speed up natural selection through selective breeding, increasing food production
• Advantages of asexual reproduction:

  • Population can increase rapidly when conditions are favorable
  • Only one parent is needed
  • More time and energy efficient as no mate is needed
  • Faster than sexual reproduction
• Disadvantages of sexual reproduction:

  • Time and energy needed to find a mate
  • Not possible for an isolated individual
• Disadvantages of asexual reproduction:

  • Does not lead to variation in a population
  • Species may only be suited to one habitat
  • Disease may affect all individuals in a population