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Explain how sexual reproduction gives rise to more viable variations than asexual reproduction. How does this affect the evolution of those organisms that reproduce sexually?

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Last updated date: 26th Apr 2024
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Answer
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Hint: The adaptation process, by which genes would shift from one era to the next, arose very slowly and predictably until the advent of sexual reproduction.

Complete Answer:
The evolution of sexual reproduction is an ecological characteristic common to nearly all multicellular species, many of which are incapable of asexually reproducing. Sexual reproduction comes from the combination of male and female gametes.

Sexual reproduction leads to more viable variants, since:
-Since the case is unusual, there could be an error in copying DNA.
-Maternal and paternal chromosome division at the time of gamete development is spontaneous.
-During gametes development, there is an interchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes.

-Variation is slightly less in the case of asexual reproduction, since only one parent is involved. Quite minor variations arise due to the inconsistencies that move on to the progeny through DNA copying. As such, offsprings in asexual reproduction are genetically more or less identical to their parents.
- But evolution of sexually reproducing species can be inferred at a higher rate than in asexually reproducing species.

Note: Sexual reproduction evolved as a highly efficient tool for creating change, and this had the huge advantage of helping species to respond to evolving environments.