Asexual vs. Sexual Reproduction
What’s so great about asexual reproduction?
Are you kidding me?
Nothing!!
What is asexual reproduction?• Reproduction through
mitosis
Mitosis creates identical daughter cells
So offspring will be genetically identical to parents.
For prokaryotic cells like bacteria—the only way they reproduce. But other organisms can reproduce asexually as well.
Advantages of asexual reproduction
1. Don’t have to look for a mate2. Can reproduce really fast3. Allows an organism to have lots of
offspring if the environment is stable
What’s so great about sexual reproduction?
Are you kidding me?
Everything!!
Yeah, yeah but besides that…
What is sexual reproduction?
• Reproduction involving the production of gametes—eggs and sperm—so that genetic material of two parent organisms are combined
The reason sex is so great is…
• It creates genetic diversity!
Variation among organisms allows a species to better adapt to changing environments
Hey, I can’t really reach these leaves!
Yum, I can!
How does meiosis lead to genetic variation?
1. Independent Assortment
AaBb
AB Ab aB ab
2. Crossing over
Homologous chromosomes exchange DNA
