Living things use many strategies for producing offspring, but most strategies fall neatly into the categories of either sexual or asexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction involves a single parent. It results in offspring that are genetically identical to each other and to the parent. All prokaryotes and some eukaryotes reproduce this way. Sexual reproduction involves two parents. During sexual reproduction, parents produce reproductive cells, called gametes, that unite to form an offspring. Gametes are haploid cells. This means they contain only half the number of chromosomes found in other cells of the organism. The chromosomes sort randomly during the process of meiosis, each gamete receiving half the chromosomes from each parent. Gametes are united during the process of fertilization.
Either type of reproduction will result in the continuation of a species. There are advantages and disadvantages of each method. Can you determine which facts are true?
A) Image B, representing budding, produces offspring genetically identical to the parent.
B) We would expect the germinating seed to grow into a plant slightly different from either parent.
C) The offspring produced in image D. contain chromosomes from each parent.
D) In image C., the hydra splits in two but because different body pieces are used, this could be considered sexual reproduction.
E) One advantage of sexual reproduction is genetic variation.
F) Asexual reproduction is not desirable because it is fast and easy.
