AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Disadvantages of Sexual Reproduction. The disadvantages of sexual reproduction are also important. As meiosis is a long process and a mate is required, it is a very time and energy costly process. Due to these reasons, the number of offspring produced by the organism in its lifetime is also fewer.

Detailed explanation-2: -A disadvantage is that sexual reproduction takes longer than asexual reproduction. A mate must be found, the egg must be fertilised by sperm, and then the offspring develop. The benefit of introducing genetic variation into the species, however, outweighs this disadvantage.

Detailed explanation-3: -The major disadvantages of asexual reproduction are: Lack of diversity. Since the offsprings are genetically identical to the parent they are more susceptible to the same diseases and nutrient deficiencies as the parent. All the negative mutations persist for generations.

Detailed explanation-4: -Asexual reproduction is a very rapid process, and it does not require a great deal of energy. In fact, binary fission in some bacteria can happen in as short a time as 20 minutes! Fungi are a large group of organisms, some of which reproduce asexually. There are some fungi that are unicellular, such as yeast.