Sexual & Asexual Reproduction

• Genetic diversity


  Very important for maintaining the health and longevity of a species
• Sexual reproduction


  • Fusion of haploid gametes to form a new organism
  • Involves a range of reproductive strategies
  • Fine-tuned for success based on environment
• Asexual reproduction


  • Does not involve the fusion of gametes
  • Produces identical clones
  • Typical of many simpler life forms
• Oviparity


  Eggs are released into the external environment and the embryo develops from nutrients inside the yolk
• Viviparity


  The embryo develops inside the mother’s body and is born after a period of gestation
• Strengths of sexual reproduction

  • Increases genetic diversity of a population
  • Reduces the risk of birth defects and genetic diseases
• Weaknesses of sexual reproduction


  • More time-consuming and energetically expensive
  • Hinders genetic diversity
• Strengths of asexual reproduction


  • More frequent and energy-sparing
  • Fine-tuned to thrive in a steady environment, as offspring are clones
• Weaknesses of asexual reproduction

  • Genetic diversity is low
  • Asexually reproducing populations may suffer during rapid environmental change
• Types of asexual reproduction

  • Budding
  • Fragmentation
  • Vegetative propagation
  • Sporogenesis
  • Parthenogenesis
• Budding


  Involves the formation of a bud that breaks away from the main organism
• Fragmentation


  Involves a parent organism breaking into separate fragments, each capable of developing into a new organism
• Vegetative propagation


  Allows a plant to reproduce without the need for seeds
• Sporogenesis


  Involves the formation of spores, which are small haploid units
• Parthenogenesis


  Embryo develops from a female gamete alone, without the need for a male gamete