what are the advantages of asexual reproduction over sexuall reproduction and vice versa?
Asexual reproduction is the process of formation of new individuals from a single parent without fertilization or fusion of gametes. Sexual reproduction is the process of formation of new individuals from two parents through fertilization or fusion of gametes.
Advantages of asexual reproduction over sexual reproduction are:
- Rapid rate of reproduction: Large number of offsprings is formed if the environment is favorable; hence they reproduce at a rapid rate. More individuals are formed from a single cell in less time.
- Better chances of survival: Since large number of offsprings are formed they have better chances of survival
- Qualities are retained: The offsprings produced are exactly identical to parents, so they retain the qualities of the parent cell.
- Saves energy: Energy is not required to find a mate.
Advantages of sexual reproduction are:
- Variations: Due to recombination and crossing over, sexual reproduction brings about variations in species. Variations are essential for individuality and evolution of species.
- Better adaptability: Increased variability due to sexual reproduction helps in better adaptability of species.
- Evolution: It helps in evolution of species.
- Harmful traits can be removed by selection of better adapted individuals or may be not expressed due to reshuffling of gene pairs.