In this lesson, students apply their notes to explain sexual vs asexual reproduction and how each method affects chromosomes and genetic variation. Instead of copying definitions, this assignment asks students to explain cause-and-effect relationships using complete sentences. As a result, the questions below check real understanding of genetics concepts from the Traits and Reproduction unit. Throughout this post, students will connect reproduction methods to survival, disease resistance, and gene variety.<img src=”ADD-IMAGE-HERE” alt=”sexual vs asexual reproduction comparison diagram”>
Before You Answer
Before responding to the questions, review your notes carefully. You are expected to explain ideas in your own words rather than repeat sentences from the notes. Answers that sound like definitions or copied material will not receive credit. Each response should clearly show reasoning and cause-and-effect thinking.
Sexual vs Asexual Reproduction: Written Explanation Check
1. Explaining Asexual Reproduction
Using your notes, describe how chromosomes are passed on in asexual reproduction. Then explain why offspring produced this way end up genetically similar to the parent.
2. Explaining Sexual Reproduction
Based on what you learned, explain how chromosomes are passed on in sexual reproduction.
3. Cause and Effect: Disease and Survival
A population reproduces asexually for many generations. Eventually, a new disease appears in the environment.
Explain why this population is more likely to struggle or die off. Your answer must connect gene variety to chromosomes.
4. Applying the Concept: Stable Environments
A species lives in an environment that stays mostly the same over time.
Which type of reproduction would be more successful in this situation, and why? Explain how the environment affects survival.
5. Applying the Concept: Changing Environments
Another species lives in an environment that changes often because of climate or disease.
Which type of reproduction would be more successful here, and why? Use genetic variation to support your explanation.
6. Big Picture Thinking
Choose one statement below and explain it using an example:
- Genetic variation increases survival
- Fast reproduction is not always better
Your response must include one example and one clear cause-and-effect relationship.
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19 Responses
Fast reproduction is not always better. It may seem good, but the way that fast repdouction even exists is that animals have their genetic code built into their system, and if they get sick, then their babies will be born sick. Secondly, there is no gene variation. When there is no gene variation, animals cannot adapt to new environments. For example, if there’s an animal that lives in a cool environment that asexually reproduces and there’s climate change, the animal is unable to adapt to the new environment, and it will eventually go extinct. Another example is that if an animal gets cancer and it asexually reproduces, then its babies and future generation will be sick because it has the same genes as its parents.
Genetic variation increases survival because it allows a population to adapt to changing environmental conditions. This provides a better chance of survival for some individuals in the population when faced with challenges like a new disease, drought, or changes in climate.
The question I am gonna pick is fast reproduction is not better. I think this because when you wanna have a colon or a copy then if the mom has cancer or any other disease then the baby or child is gonna get cancer at some point because the mother had the same DNA as the child. Also the child might not be able to communicate with the surroundings. For example, if you can only habit to the hot then when cold is on then you have a chance of dying.
chromosomes are passed on by mitosis offspring are similar because they inherit identical genes from one parent. chromozones are passed in sexual reproduction with a processes called meiosis and fertilization. meiosis and fertilization go to genetic difference against offspring through several mechanisms that combine genetic material. a variety of people with a low gene is more likely to live in the environment changes or sickness outbreaks. asexual reproduction is faster and takes less energy, organisms quickly colonize.
Asexual reproduction involves when one parents off spring are genetically identical to the parents DNA is copied exactly.
Sexual reproduction involves 2 parents each parent contrives half of their chromosomes to the off spring. Diseases are a major thing because if the mother gets cancer or something like that the child would get cancer. The question I chose was Genetic variation survival
In asexual reproduction, an individual reproduces with their identical chromosomes by mitosis to produce clones (identical offspring) susceptible to a single danger, because meiosis is not involved in asexual reproduction to split chromosomes into two with distinct chromosomes, unlike in sexual reproduction, where meiosis is involved to split chromosomes into two with equal chromosomes, which unite during fertilization to produce different offspring due to a different combination of chromosome.
Fast reproduction is not better. If a the mom has some kind of a disease the baby can have a chance of getting it too. The reason why the baby has a chance of getting a disease that the mom has is because the mom gave birth to it so the baby is going to have the same DNA but just something different . This can also happen with cancer and animals . If the mom has a disease and when you are born you can get the same disease but the chances of not getting the disease is really low .
Asexual reproduction makes perfect copies of the parent, efficient when the environment is stable. The catch is that every identical individual is vulnerable to the same diseases or changes. Sexual reproduction mixes up the genetic recipe, creating unique offspring. This variety is key to survival in a changing world, as some individuals might randomly have the right combination of genes to cope with new challenges, ensuring the species keeps going.
1. The chromosomes of the child will be the same as the parent. When it comes to asexually reproducing, the parent has their genetic code built into their system and makes clones of themselves which is genetically the same as the parent.
2. In sexual reproduction, the child takes genetics from both parents. When it comes to sexually reproducing, there are two parents that have different genetic code, and the child inherits both of their genetics.
3. If a population reproduces asexually, this is bad because their species will be unable to adapt to the disease, and will kill off their kind. Or, in another scenario, one animal would get sick and if they reproduce then their babies will be born sick and die.
4. I would say asexual reproduction would be better in this case. Because the environment is staying the same, and the animal is (presumably) adapted to the environment, the animal species would stay adapted and would be stable. In sexual reproduction, there could be offsprings that cannot live in the environment and would slowly die off.
5. Sexual reproduction would be better because it has a higher chance of adapting to the climate or disease. Asexual reproduction cannot adapt to these conditions and would die off.
6. (Answered in my other comment)
Fast reproduction is not always better because it can take energy. Also if they start to get sick their babies will also get sick because the DNA is the same. Also if its cold and you are only adapted to hot then you have a bigger probability to die. Another thing is that since they have the same exact DNA then they get the same exacts weaknesses and streangth as their parents.
Asexual reproduction involves one parent. Offspring is genetically identical to the parent because the DNA is copied exactly. Sexual reproduction requires 2 parents. Each parent contributes half of their chromosome to the offspring. This population is more likely to struggle and die. This is because if everyone is the same everything and have the same body system then if one get the disease then everyone does since it’s technically just the same person. In a situation that stays the mostly the same over time then asexual reproduction would survive better in the is environment because if everyone is mostly the same then so would the copies. If another species lives in an environment that changes often because of climate or disease then a sexual reproduction because if the species are the same then they would not survive. With sexual reproduction there would be different types, and with different types they would survive different weather climates. Genetic variation increases survival. For example, in different environments they would learn different ways to survive. But, some of them may not be because of their genes.
Asexual reproduction involves when one parents off spring are genetically identical to the parents DNA is copied exactly.
Sexual reproduction involves 2 parents each parent contrives half of their chromosomes to the off spring. Diseases are a major thing because if the mother gets cancer or something like that the child would get cancer. The question I chose was Genetic variation survival.
1. The chromosomes of the baby are gonna be the same as the parents because the parents has codes so they colon it will be genetically same as the a parent. 2. I learned that the chromosomes have half half of each parent in sexual reproduction. 3. When you do asexual reproduction then the child is most likely to die of disease because if the mom has cancer then the child would have cancer because they have the same DNA. 4.Sexual production kids would most likely survive because they would most likely adapt to the environment because they are made for that. Environment matters because the child needs to learn how to deal with every weather . 5. The reproduction that would survive in changing environments are sexual because their chromosomes are already been through it but asexual reproduction are not likely to survive because the conditions would have been harsh for them 6.fast reproduction is not better. I think this because when you wanna have a colon or a copy then if the mom has cancer or any other disease then the baby or child is gonna get cancer at some point because the mother had the same DNA as the child. Also the child might not be able to communicate with the surroundings. For example, if you can only habit to the hot then when cold is on then you have a chance of dying.
Asexual reproduction involves one parent and offspring are genetically identical so its basically copied to the parents DNA. Sexual reproduction requires two people and both parents send half of their chromosomes to the offspring. Diseases can easily affect the child because if the mother or father have a heart disease the child would most likely get it or not.
1.The chromosomes of the child will be the same as the parent. When it comes to asexually reproducing, the parent has their genetic code built into their system and makes clones of themselves which is genetically the same as the parent. 2.Fast reproduction is not always better because it can take energy. Also if they start to get sick their babies will also get sick because the DNA is the same. Also if its cold and you are only adapted to hot then you have a bigger probability to die. Another thing is that since they have the same exact DNA then they get the same exacts weaknesses and strength as their parents.
1. Asexually reproduction only involves one parent, meanwhile, for sexual reproduction you need two parents, but you don’t have gene diversity when you produce asexually, but for sexual reproduction, you have gene diversity.
2. I learned that there would only be half and half for each parent in sexual reproduction because they spare half of their chromosome for their offspring.
3. When you do asexual reproduction the child is most likely going to die from a virus or a sickness because the child would have the same weakness as the adult because of the same DNA, but with sexual reproduction you would have gene diversity because you would have a different reaction to sicknesses.
4. When there is a changed environment, gene diversity takes a big positive because of how they would have a different reaction, but with asexual reproduction, there is a big downgrade because the child would have a weakness and would get a virus or a sickness because the child has the same DNA as the parent.
5. Fast reproduction is not better because there would be just another copy of the parent and there would be the same weakness and the same DNA which means if the mom has a sickness, the child would have a weakness. Sexual reproduction is better because of the gene diversity.
Asexual reproduction is faster and more efficient. A mate is not required. However, with asexual reproduction, offspring have the same genetics. There is no variety, meaning evolution can not exist, and they can get sick easily. In sexual reproduction, both parents contribute and share their chromosomes with the offspring. Offspring from sexual reproduction are more resistant to diseases because there is more genetic variation. If the environment changes, offspring coming from asexual reproduction will not adapt. Sexual reproduction offspring can adjust to different environmental changes. Fast reproduction is quick, but weaker.
1. Explaining Asexual Reproduction: Asexual reproduction invovles one parent. Offspring are genetically identical to the parent because the DNA is copied exactly. The gene variety is low because the offspring is the same as the parent so same strengths and weekness.
2. Explaining Sexual Reproduction: Sexual reproduction involves two parents. Each parent contributes half of their chromosomes to the offspring. The gene variety is high because the offspring have different genes from the parent.
3. Cause and Effect: Disease and Survival: Asexual reproduction have no genetic variation, vulnerable to diseases and poor adaptability that can not handle change in environment while sexual reproduction have high genetic diversity, disease resistant, better adaptibility, and evolution over time.
4. Applying the Concept: Stable Environments: Asexual reproduction often wins due to faster population growth , but when the environment changes or is hard to predict, sexual reproduction is better. This is because it makes different kinds of offspring. Some of them might survive new problems like diseases or weather changes, which helps the species stay alive and change over time.
5. Applying the Concept: Changing Environments: In an environment that changes a lot because of climate or disease, sexual reproduction would work better. This is because sexual reproduction mixes genes from two parents. When this happens, the babies are all a little different from each other. Some of these differences can help them survive when things change.
6. Big Picture Thinking: Genetic variation increases survival because making different kinds of babies helps because some might have special traits, like not getting sick easily or being better at hiding. This helps them stay alive when the weather changes or when there are predators or germs.
The chromosomes of the child will be the same as the parent. When it comes to asexually reproducing, the parent has their genetic code built into their system and makes clones of themselves which is genetically the same as the parent. 2.Fast reproduction is not always better because it can take energy. Also if they start to get sick their babies will also get sick because the DNA is the same. Also if its cold and you are only adapted to hot then you have a bigger probability to die. Another thing is that since they have the same exact DNA then they get the same exacts weaknesses and strength as their parents.