Asexual reproduction
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| asexual reproduction | 无性生殖 | wú xìng shēng zhí |
| gametes | 配子 | pèi zi |
| clones | 克隆 | kè lóng |
| variation | 变异 | biàn yì |
Copies of one parent
- Some organisms reproduce all by themselves, with no partner needed.
- This is asexual reproduction 无性生殖, and the offspring are exact copies.
Asexual reproduction needs how many parents?
Only one parent is needed.
The offspring of asexual reproduction are:
They are clones — genetically identical.
Genetically identical offspring are called ______.
Asexual reproduction produces clones.
What asexual reproduction is
- Asexual reproduction needs only one parent and no gametes 配子.
- The offspring are genetically identical to the parent — they are clones 克隆.
Asexual reproduction: one parent gives genetically identical offspring (clones)
Asexual reproduction
One parent makes genetically identical offspring (clones) by mitosis — no gametes needed.
Which reproduce asexually? (Select all that apply.)
A baby from two parents is sexual reproduction.
Examples
- Bacteria divide in two; plants grow runners or tubers; some animals bud.
- Many crops are grown asexually (e.g. from cuttings) to keep useful traits.
A disadvantage of asexual reproduction is a lack of variation.
Identical offspring are all equally vulnerable to the same threat.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Advantages: fast, no partner needed, all good traits passed on.
- Disadvantage: no variation 变异 — so a single disease or change could wipe out the whole population.
No variation is the big weakness. Because clones are identical, if one is vulnerable to a disease, they all are. Asexual reproduction is fast but risky in a changing environment.
You've got it
- asexual reproduction: one parent, no gametes, identical offspring (clones)
- examples: bacteria dividing, plant runners/tubers, cuttings
- it is fast but produces no variation — risky if the environment changes