Reproduction

Sexual and Asexual Reproduction

Asexual reproduction__ __only requires one parent. The cells that are produced are identical to the parent cell.

Sexual reproduction__ __requires two parents. The cells that are produced will have half the characteristics from each half of their parent.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Sexual and Asexual Reproduction

Advantages of asexual reproduction:

1.Lack of need to find a mate

2.Rapid reproductive cycle

3.Cloning desirable characteristics

4.Adapt to a new habitat easily

Disadvantages of asexual reproduction:

1.No variation in the population

2.Disease may affect everything in a population

3.Species cannot adapt to other habitats

Advantages of sexual reproduction:

1.Introduction of variation in a population

2.Species have the capacity to adapt into new environments

3.If a diseases affects a certain type of species, it is less likely to wipe out an entire population

Disadvantages of sexual reproduction:

1.Difficult if finding a mate

2.Waste of energy finding a mate

Meiosis

Meiosis__ is a type of cell division that is extremely important, as it is needed to __produce __male and female sex cells (__gametes).

The male gamete is the sperm, and the female gamete is the egg.

Most cells in the body will contain 46 chromosomes that are arranged in 23 pairs. Each pair having one chromosome from each parent.

During meiosis, the daughter cells that are produced will have half the number of chromosomes from their parent cell. Gametes, therefore, only have 23 chromosomes.

During fertilisation, the gametes will fuse in order to form a zygote. The zygote will then contain 23 pairs of chromosomes as they receive 23 chromosomes from the sperm cell, and 23 chromosomes from the egg cell.

The red and white strands are the chromosomes. You can see that chromosomes from the daughter cells are different from the parent cell, as it has copied different parts of the parent cell. The daughter cells only have half the number of chromosomes as the parent cell.

What is the scientific name for sex cells?

Gametes

How many chromosomes can be found in sperm cells?

23

Which type of reproduction does not require a sexual partner?

Your answer should include: Asexual / Reproduction

Sexual & Asexual Reproduction

Asexual reproduction only requires one parent. The cells that are produced are identical to the parent cell. Sexual reproduction requires two parents. The cells that are produced will have half the characteristics from each half of their parent.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Sexual & Asexual Reproduction

Advantages of asexual reproduction

1. Lack of need to find a mate
2. Rapid reproductive cycle
3. Cloning desirable characteristics
4. Adapt to a new habitat easily

Disadvantages of asexual reproduction

1. No variation in the population
2. Disease may affect everything in a population
3. Species cannot adapt to other habitats

Advantages of sexual reproduction

1. Introduction of variation in a population
2. Species have the capacity to adapt into new environments
3. If a diseases affects a certain type of species, it is less likely to wipe out an entire population

Disadvantages of sexual reproduction

1. Difficult if finding a mate
2. Waste of energy finding a mate