Asexual versus Sexual Reproduction – Test review

Science 9

Asexual Reproduction occurs when there is only one parent that gives rise to an

offspring which has the identical genetic makeup of the parent. It occurs in most single celled organisms such as bacteria and some multicellular organisms such as fungi and

some plants.

Sexual reproduction involves the combining of genetic information from two parents to

produce a new organism that is a combination of both parents. It occurs in most complex

organisms.

1. Complete the following table comparing asexual and sexual reproduction.

Asexual reproduction / Sexual reproduction
Number of parents
Genetic information of offspring compared to parents
Complexity of organism that uses this method
Example of an organism that uses this method

2. Complete the summary table below by describing the five asexual methods of reproduction and providing an example of an organism that utilizes each method. You may want to draw a diagram along with your description.

Description / Example

Sexual Reproduction

During Sexual Reproduction two specialized cells called sex cells or gametes (egg and

sperm) are involved. Each gamete has only half the amount of DNA in a normal cell and

are produced by a specialized type of division called meiosis. The reason why the

gametes only contain half the DNA is so that when the new cell or zygote forms it will

contain the correct amount of DNA. Zygotes are not identical to the parents. This

means that Sexual Reproduction produces variation in offspring. This variation is

important in a changing environment where an organism may have to be slightly

different to survive.

Animal Sexual Reproduction

As in plants, animals must have a single sperm join its nuclear material with the nuclear

material of an egg to form a zygote. Different species have different methods to achieve

this result. Their fertilization patterns dictate how this is achieved. Sperm and egg must

remain moist so that the egg is penetrable and the sperm can swim to it. An external

fertilization pattern occurs when the gametes (sex cells) meet outside the bodies of both

parents. To keep the sperm and egg moist it must occur in an aquatic environment.

Internal fertilization occurs inside the female body in terrestrial or land animals. The

sperm is transferred using a specialized structure from the male into the female body.

The sperm must swim to the egg inside the female body where fertilization will take

place. Some land animals such as birds and reptiles will then form a hard outer covering

or shell around the zygote after which development will continue outside of the female

body. Animals such as kangaroos and koala bears have specialized pouches where the

young embryo will continue to develop and still others such as cows, dogs and humans

have the young embryo complete development inside the female womb.

1. What is the main advantage of sexual reproduction?

2. What is a zygote? How is it different from daughter cells produced by asexual

reproduction?

3. Classify the following as either sexual or asexual reproduction. Explain your choice.

a) A small piece of a cactus breaks off the plant, falls to the ground, and begins to grow.

b) Pollen from a male poplar tree fertilizes sex cells on a female poplar tree.

c) Two earthworms each produce sperm and eggs and fertilize each other.

d) A flatworm is cut in half and grows intro two flatworms.

3. Complete the concept map using the following terms:

gametes, fragmentation, budding, hermaphrodites, binary fission,

spore formation, and

regeneration.