BIO 4301 Spring 2024 - Sexual and Asexual Reproduction

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture notes on sexual and asexual reproduction, inbreeding depression, and genetic diversity.

What advantage does sexual reproduction have in stable environments compared to asexual reproduction?

Sexual reproduction may offer genetic diversity that allows for adaptation, while asexual reproduction may be advantageous in stable conditions with less change.

How does inbreeding depression affect population genetics?

Inbreeding depression leads to a decline in survival and fecundity due to increased homozygosity and reduced heterozygosity.

What is the main difference between dioecious and hermaphroditic organisms?

Dioecious organisms are either male or female, whereas hermaphroditic organisms can produce both male and female gametes.

What is the significance of the Red-Queen Hypothesis?

It suggests that sexual reproduction and genetic recombination are necessary for adapting to constantly changing environments.

What is meant by 'purifying selection hypothesis' in relation to asexual reproduction?

It refers to the idea that recombination can prevent harmful mutations from becoming fixed in a population.

How does asexual reproduction benefit some species in stable environments?

Asexual reproduction allows for rapid population growth and reproduction without the need for a mate.

What role does recombination play in adaptation according to the lecture?

Recombination can combine advantageous alleles and separate deleterious alleles, increasing adaptability.

Why is self-fertilization more common in plants than in animals?

Plants exhibit mechanisms of self-fertilization that are less common in animals; many plants can reproduce asexually.

What is the biological definition of male and female in plants?

Males produce small gametes, while females produce large gametes.

What evidence supports that inbreeding can inflate the frequency of lethal alleles?

As inbreeding increases, more individuals are homozygous for lethal alleles, which can lead to death before reproductive maturity.

What is 'the cost of sex' in evolutionary biology?

It refers to the disadvantages of sexual reproduction, such as the two-fold cost of producing males.

What implications does the lack of recombination have for Y-chromosome evolution?

Lack of recombination has led to degeneration and loss of genes in the Y-chromosome over millions of years.

In what ways can fig wasps adjust their offspring sex ratios?

Fig wasps can behaviorally adjust the male/female ratio by choosing to lay unfertilized eggs that hatch into males.

How does the evolution of self-incompatibility relate to inbreeding depression?

Self-incompatibility mechanisms can help prevent inbreeding depression by promoting outcrossing.

What is the inbreeding coefficient (F)?

The inbreeding coefficient measures the probability that a random pair of genes is identical by descent.

What experimental evidence supports that C. elegans switch to sexual reproduction in fluctuating environments?

Experimental populations of C. elegans demonstrate that they switch to sexual reproduction when conditions change.