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C-Sci 1 - Research Written Output - 2ndquarter
C-Sci 1 - Research Written Output - 2ndquarter
Asexual reproduction has a number of drawbacks, including the lack of genetic variation
in a population and the possibility that a species is solely adapted to one l ocation. A
sickness can harm everyone in a population.
***Asexual reproduction does not involve sex cells or fertilisation. Only one parent is
required, unlike sexual reproduction which needs two parents. Since there is only one
parent, there is no fusion of gametes and no mixing of genetic information. As a result,
the offspring are genetically identical to the parent and to each other. They are clones.
Asexual reproduction is well suited for organisms that remain in one place and are unable
to look for mates, in environments that are stable. It is usually used by simple organisms
such as bacteria. However, asexual reproduction does not lead to variation between
organisms, meaning that entire groups can be wiped out by disease, or if the stable
environment changes.
Sexual reproduction allows for variation, the most fundamental element of evolution. It
therefore creates species that can adapt to new environments and that cannot be wiped out
by a single disease. However, sexual reproduction requires significant energy on the part of
the organism to find a mate. It is not well suited to organisms that are isolated or stuck in
place.
Types
There are several different types of asexual reproduction. These include budding, where
the offspring grows out of the body of the parent, and gemmules, where the parent releases
a specialized mass of cells that will become a new individual.
There are two types of sexual reproduction. Syngamy is the permanent fusion of two
haploid gametes to create a zygote. In humans, this is called fertilization. Conjugation, on
the other hand, is temporary fusion using a cytoplasmic bridge. This is particularly seen in
bacteria, which pass DNA across the bridge.
Process
Asexual reproduction is reproduction that occurs without any interaction between two
different members of a species. Cells divide using mitosis, in which each chromosome is
copied before the nucleus divides, with each new cell receiving identical genetic
information.
Sexual reproduction is reproduction that requires a male and a female of the same species
to contribute genetic material. Special cells called gametes are produced through meiosis,
which halves the number of chromosomes in each resulting cell. These cells are called
haploid gametes. Fertilization occurs when two gametes – one from a male and one from a
female – combine, producing a diploid zygote with its own individual genetic makeup.
Examples
Asexual reproduction is used by many plants, e.g. spider plants, bacteria, hydra, yeast, and jellyfish. It is
also involved in the creation of identical twins, when one zygote splits into two identical copies.
Asexual reproduction is well suited for organisms that remain in one place and are unable
to look for mates, in environments that are stable. It is usually used by simple organisms
such as bacteria. However, asexual reproduction does not lead to variation between
organisms, meaning that entire groups can be wiped out by disease, or if the stable
environment changes.
Sexual reproduction allows for variation, the most fundamental element of evolution. It
therefore creates species that can adapt to new environments and that cannot be wiped out
by a single disease. However, sexual reproduction requires significant energy on the part of
the organism to find a mate. It is not well suited to organisms that are isolated or stuck in
place.