AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Sexual reproduction has the potential to produce tremendous genetic variation in offspring. This variation is due to independent assortment and crossing-over during meiosis, and random union of gametes during fertilization.

Detailed explanation-2: -Sexual reproduction provides genetic diversity because the sperm and egg that are produced contain different combinations of genes than the parent organisms. Asexual reproduction, on the other hand, does not need sperm and eggs since one organism splits into two organisms that have the same combination of genes.

Detailed explanation-3: -Q. Why does sexual reproduction result in more genetic diversity than asexual reproduction? Traits from two parents are combined.

Detailed explanation-4: -Despite the two-fold cost of sex, most of the higher animals reproduce sexually. The advantage of sex has been suggested to be its ability, through recombination, to generate greater genetic diversity than asexuality, thus enhancing adaptation in a changing environment.

Detailed explanation-5: -Independent assortment produces new combinations of alleles. There are several points during sexual reproduction at which genetic variation can increase. In meiosis I, crossing over during prophase and independent assortment during anaphase creates sets of chromosomes with new combinations of alleles.