The excerpt of Olivia Judson's Dr Tatiana's Sex Advice to all Creation describes the evolution of organisms that reproduce sexually and those that reproduce asexually. It is a debate about whether sex is necessary for a species to survive and thrive.
Based on the evidence in this excerpt, I think that a species can survive and thrive by reproducing asexually. First of all, cloning (reproducing asexually) is way more efficient than sex. "All else being equal, an asexual female who appears in a population should have twice as many offspring as her sexual counterpart."(215). An argument people would make about why sex is necessary is that diseases can spread very easily among clones. A solution to that is that asexual creatures can just move somewhere new. A third reason is that this has worked for 85 million years with the species of bdelloid rotifers, which shows that it can indeed be successful. Asexual reproduction is also way faster and more efficient because sex takes a lot of time and effort. Cloning doesn't even require a mate so reproduction can keep happening.
It was confusing whether sex is really necessary. In the text, there were equal arguments for both sides. In conclusion, sex may be necessary, but asexual reproduction is faster and more practical.
Based on the evidence in this excerpt, I think that a species can survive and thrive by reproducing asexually. First of all, cloning (reproducing asexually) is way more efficient than sex. "All else being equal, an asexual female who appears in a population should have twice as many offspring as her sexual counterpart."(215). An argument people would make about why sex is necessary is that diseases can spread very easily among clones. A solution to that is that asexual creatures can just move somewhere new. A third reason is that this has worked for 85 million years with the species of bdelloid rotifers, which shows that it can indeed be successful. Asexual reproduction is also way faster and more efficient because sex takes a lot of time and effort. Cloning doesn't even require a mate so reproduction can keep happening.
It was confusing whether sex is really necessary. In the text, there were equal arguments for both sides. In conclusion, sex may be necessary, but asexual reproduction is faster and more practical.
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