Asexual Reproduction

Asexual Reproduction Mitosis is the basis of asexual reproduction Involves only one parent individual Results in genetically identical offspring:

Clones

Advantages Safe Don’t need to find a mate Can give loads of offspring quickly

Disadvantage All offspring genetically identical

If environment changes in some way then…

… could cause complete of a population

destruction

Strategies for Asexual Reproduction

Binary Fission Sporulation Regeneration Budding Vegetative Propagation

Most important on WJEC

Binary Fission Mitosis followed by

splitting of the individual

Only in the most simple of organisms

Bacteria and Protoctists

Sporulation Mitosis followed by the

production of asexual spores

Spores can survive adverse conditions

Good for dispersal Fungi and lower plants

(mosses / ferns)

Regeneration

Regeneration Rather Dramatic! Lizards shed tails Starfish can grow from

only one arm!

Budding Outgrowth from

parents Produces miniature of

parent This bud then drops

off the parent and is independent.

Yeast

Hydra

Vegetative Propagation Sophisticated version

of budding that occurs in plants.

May involve perennating organs:

bulbs, corms etc where stored food means can be dormant over winter

Parthenogenesis Virgin birth! 70 species of

vertebrates

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