Definition of sexual and Asexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction is a mode of reproduction where gametes of two individuals, of different sexes, fuse to produce an offspring. Asexual reproduction, on the other hand, is a type of reproduction that does not involve the fusion of gametes, that is, a single organism reproduce its offspring without exchanging genetic information with another organism through copulation ( Ellegren, & Galtier, 2016) .
Pros of sexual Reproduction Versus Asexual Reproduction
The combination of two gametes in sexual reproduction results in the mixing of genetic material thereby creating a new and unique organism. The new organism created can better adapt to new environmental conditions ( Ellegren, & Galtier, 2016) . Offspring also have a chance of not acquiring the parent’s disease passed to it.
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Cons of Sexual Reproduction versus Asexual Reproduction
Two parents have to be involved in sexual reproduction, and there is no guarantee that the nucleus of the male sex and the female sex would fuse for fertilization to take place ( Ellegren, & Galtier, 2016) . Another con is that sexual reproduction takes a long time which involves a tedious process of finding a compatible and suitable mate for sex to happen.
How Meiosis Affect Genetic Biodiversity
Meiosis results in recombination (crossing over) and independent assortment of gametes from each parent containing different sets of DNA. The zygote formed after fertilization will, therefore, have a unique combination of genes. The reshuffling of genes into unique combination during the processes of crossing over and independent assortment increases the genetic variation and diversity p of offspring in a population ( Ellegren, & Galtier, 2016) .
Mendel’s Law of Segregation
The law states that during meiosis, a diploid organism randomly passes an allele for a trait to its offspring in such a way that the resulting offspring receives one allele from each parent. Mendel argues that during meiosis each gamete (Sperm and ova) from both parents acquires one of the two alleles as chromosomes separate. Genetic diversity arises when diploid cell genetic complement recombines to generate a haploid gamete. Mendel’s law of segregation bases its argument by the observation of the first division of meiosis. During this division of meiosis, the homologous chromosomes which possess different versions of each gene undergo segregation to form daughter nuclei. Therefore, diversity depends upon the separation and assortment of combination of parent’s alleles.
Reference
Ellegren, H., & Galtier, N. (2016). Determinants of genetic diversity. Nature Reviews Genetics , 17 (7), 422.
