Practice question · Select all that apply
Which conditions favour sexual over asexual reproduction?
Hints
- Three reward variation; one rewards preserving a proven genotype.
- If nothing is changing, a well-adapted clone is hard to beat.
Show the answer
- A. Strong competition among close relatives
- B. Heavy pressure from coevolving parasites
- C. A rapidly changing environment
Why
Change, parasites and sibling competition all reward variation. In a genuinely stable, parasite-free environment the asexual clone wins, which is exactly what is observed in stable habitats and among colonising species.
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