+ n - of sexual and asexual reproduction

• what is sexual reproduction?

  Combining genetic material from two parents to produce offspring = variation
• advantages of sexual reproduction?

  1. a greater chance of survival as the variation allows species to adapt to changes in the environment
  2. a genetic variation in offspring that is not seen with asexual reproduction
  3. natural selection can be speeded up by humans in selective breeding to increase food production.
• advantages of asexual reproduction:

  • only one parent needed

  • more time and energy efficient as do not need to find a mate

  • faster than sexual reproduction

  • many identical offspring can be produced when conditions are favorable.
• examples of asexual reproduction:

  • Malarial parasites reproduce asexually in the human host, but sexually in the mosquito.
  • Many fungi reproduce asexually by spores but also reproduce sexually to give variation.
  • Many plants produce seeds sexually, but also reproduce asexually by runners such as strawberry plants, or bulb division such as daffodils