Question

What are some similarities and differences among the organisms’ reproduction processes?

Answer 1

Answer:

Reproduction (or procreation) is the biological process by which new “offspring” are produced from their “parents”.

Asexual reproduction yields genetically-identical organisms because an individual reproduces without another.

In sexual reproduction, the genetic material of two individuals from the same species combines to produce genetically-different offspring; this ensures mixing of the gene pool of the species.

Organisms that reproduce through asexual reproduction tend to grow exponentially and rely on mutations for DNA variation, while those that reproduce sexually yield a smaller number of offspring, but have larger genetic variation.

Key Terms

reproduction: the act of producing new individuals biologically

clone: a living organism produced asexually from a single ancestor, to which it is genetically identical

Animal Reproduction

Reproduction (or procreation) is the biological process by which new “offspring” (individual organisms) are produced from their “parents. ” It is a fundamental feature of all known life that each individual organism exists as the result of reproduction. Most importantly, reproduction is necessary for the survival of a species. The known methods of reproduction are broadly grouped into two main types: sexual and asexual.

In asexual reproduction, an individual can reproduce without involvement with another individual of that species. The division of a bacterial cell into two daughter cells is an example of asexual reproduction. This type of reproduction produces genetically-identical organisms (clones), whereas in sexual reproduction, the genetic material of two individuals combines to produce offspring that are genetically different from their parents.

During sexual reproduction, the male gamete (sperm) may be placed inside the female’s body for internal fertilization, or the sperm and eggs may be released into the environment for external fertilization. Humans provide an example of the former, while seahorses provide an example of the latter. Following a mating dance, the female seahorse lays eggs in the male seahorse’s abdominal brood pouch where they are fertilized. The eggs hatch and the offspring develop in the pouch for several weeks.