Sexual/Asexual reproduction

• Sexual reproduction

  New offspring are produced by the fusion of male and female gametes
• Which 2 gametes fuse together during sexual reproduction (animals)

  Sperm cell and egg cell
• Which 2 gametes fuse together during sexual reproduction (plants)

  Pollen

  Egg cell (ovule)
• Does sexual production lead to identical offspring or genetically unique offspring

  Results in genetically unique offspring
• Is a sperm cell haploid or diploid

  Haploid as it only has half the total number of chromosomes
• Fertilisation

  The fusion of male and female gametes
• Asexual reproduction

  Where new offspring are produced by a single parent
• Does asexual reproduction lead to genetically identical offspring

  Yes
• 3 pros of sexual reproduction

  Produces variation in offspring so species is less likely to be wiped out by extreme events

  If environment changes the variation will allow the species to evolve by natural selection

  Humans can speed up natural selection via selective breeding
• 3 disadvantages of sexual reproduction

  Requires two parents

  Required large amounts of time and energy to search for a mate

  Many species spend resources impressing their mates even though it doesn’t aid survival
• 4 advantages of asexual reproduction

  Only one parent needed

  More time and energy efficient

  Faster

  Many identical offspring can be produced
• 2 disadvantages of asexual reproduction

  Low genetic variation means offspring are more susceptible to extreme events

  Population would have a smaller chance of adapting to new conditions
• 3 organisms that can reproduce sexually and asexually

  Malarial parasites

  Fungi

  Plants