What are the advantages and disadvantages of sexual reproduction?

Answer 1

ADVANTAGES: The main advantage of sexual reproduction is that it creates variation within the species because of the joining of two gametes. This means that the species is adaptable. Organisms with the good qualities survive and the ones with bad qualities do not, so that you are left with organisms with good qualities. This is very advantageous in the long term survival of the species. it also eliminates the risk of the species being entirely wiped out by a single disease, pest, or climactic condition. For plants it allows seeds to be dispersed over large areas to give the species a chance to colonize new habitats. It also provides sexual pleasure.

DISAVANTAGES: Sexual Reproduction can be much slower than asexual reproduction. this is because it relies on other things. for animals, they need to find a mate to breed with and plants need to be pollinated (they rely on the presence of wind or animals for this). For animals, not many offspring are created and for plants, only a few of the seeds will eventually germinate. it also takes a lot of energy to reproduce sexually. animals may sometimes have to travel long distances to find mates and then attract them, and some plants have to make visually appealing flowers so as to attract pollinators.

Answer 2

Advantages:

• Genetic variation (the ability of organisms to adapt over time). Due to the fusing of gametes (one from each parent), the offspring displays a mixture of traits.

• Two parents are required

Disadvantages:

• Energy must be consumed to find a suitable mate.
• Mutations may occur
• Not as rapid and efficient as other forms of reproduction (eg binary fission)
• Very few offspring produced at a time

Answer 3

ADVANTAGES: The main advantage of sexual reproduction is that it creates variation within the species because of the joining of two gametes. This means that the species is adaptable. Organisms with the good qualities survive and the ones with bad qualities do not, so that you are left with organisms with good qualities. This is very advantageous in the long term survival of the species. it also eliminates the risk of the species being entirely wiped out by a single disease, pest, or climactic condition. For plants it allows seeds to be dispersed over large areas to give the species a chance to colonize new habitats. It also provides sexual pleasure.

DISAVANTAGES: Sexual Reproduction can be much slower than asexual reproduction. this is because it relies on other things. for animals, they need to find a mate to breed with and plants need to be pollinated (they rely on the presence of wind or animals for this). For animals, not many offspring are created and for plants, only a few of the seeds will eventually germinate. it also takes a lot of energy to reproduce sexually. animals may sometimes have to travel long distances to find mates and then attract them, and some plants have to make visually appealing flowers so as to attract pollinators.