General biologyLesson 1 of 1 in the course Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction

Sexual Reproduction: Genetic Variation and Life-Cycle Patterns

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Sexual reproduction is widespread among eukaryotes, even though it can require finding a partner and may produce offspring more slowly than asexual reproduction. This lesson explores the costs and benefits of sexual reproduction and why genetic variation may help populations persist.

In asexual reproduction, an organism can produce offspring without a partner. Methods include budding, fragmentation, and the asexual production of eggs. Offspring are often genetically very similar to the parent, apart from new mutations. If the parent is well suited to its habitat, this can be an advantage. Asexual reproduction can also allow every individual in a population to produce offspring.

All flashcards

Genetic variation
Differences in inherited combinations of alleles among individuals that can affect their traits and reproductive success.
Crossing over
Exchange of chromosome segments between homologous chromosomes during prophase I of meiosis.
Independent assortment
Distribution of homologous chromosome pairs into different combinations during meiosis I.
Gametophyte
The multicellular haploid generation in plants and some algae; it produces gametes by mitosis.
Sporophyte
The multicellular diploid generation in plants and some algae; it produces haploid spores by meiosis.

Quiz questions

  1. Which is a potential advantage of asexual reproduction?Answer: An organism can reproduce without finding a mate.
  2. Which meiotic event exchanges segments between homologous chromosomes?Answer: Crossing over during prophase I.
  3. How does independent assortment contribute to genetic variation?Answer: It distributes homologous chromosome pairs in different combinations.
  4. What does the Red Queen hypothesis propose about coevolving species?Answer: They may need to keep adapting to maintain their relative position.
  5. In many haploid-dominant fungi and algae, what happens to the diploid zygote?Answer: It undergoes meiosis to produce haploid spores.

Based on Biology 2e by Mary Ann Clark, Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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