Question

Why is sexual reproduction useful when cells from two different individuals must combine to form a new cell?

• A. It completes in a very short period of time.
• B. It results in the rapid production of many offspring.
• C. It increases genetic diversity, allowing organisms to survive in an unpredictable environment.
• D. It needs less energy and leads to genetic variation in the offspring.

Answer 1

The correct option is C It increases genetic diversity, allowing organisms to survive in an unpredictable environment.

Sexual reproduction involves two different gametes produced either by the same individual or different individuals, which fuse together to form a zygote. It takes more energy to reproduce sexually compared to asexual modes.
Sexual reproduction also takes a longer duration to complete as compared to asexual modes and less number of viable offsprings are produced.
Despite all these demerits, sexual reproduction is prefered as it generates variation in the progeny, due to the mixing of male and female genome. This equips the progeny to survive in an unpredicatble environment and allows it to evolve.