AQA · GCSE · Biology
Course version: 8461 · Version from Sept 2018
Students are expected to be able to explain the advantages and…
Full specification wording
Advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction (biology only): Students are expected to be able to explain the advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction for any organism if given appropriate information.
Asexual reproduction produces genetically identical offspring by mitosis, so it is rapid, requires only one parent and is efficient when conditions are stable, but it gives no genetic variation,…
Checked against the AQA 8461 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 8 of 8
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Asexual reproduction produces genetically identical offspring by mitosis, so it is rapid, requires only one parent and is efficient when conditions are stable, but it gives no genetic variation, so a population may be wiped out by a disease or environmental change. Sexual reproduction involves gametes and fertilisation, producing genetic variation in offspring, which improves survival if the environment changes, but it requires two parents, uses more energy and is slower. For an unfamiliar organism, identify whether reproduction is asexual or sexual from the information, then explain advantages and disadvantages in terms of genetic variation, speed, energy and number of parents.
What earns the marks
- Asexual reproduction produces genetically identical offspring, so it is rapid and requires only one parent.
- Asexual reproduction gives no genetic variation, so all offspring are equally vulnerable to a disease or environmental change.
- Sexual reproduction produces genetic variation in offspring, which can improve survival when the environment changes.
- Sexual reproduction requires two parents, uses more energy and is often slower than asexual reproduction.
- When given information about an unfamiliar organism, identify the type of reproduction and apply the relevant advantages and disadvantages.
- Advantages and disadvantages should be linked to genetic variation, speed, energy cost and number of parents.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Writing generic advantages without linking them to the organism or the information provided in the question.
Claiming that asexual reproduction always produces more offspring than sexual reproduction without considering the information given.
Forgetting that sexual reproduction produces genetic variation, which is its main advantage in changing environments.
Exam tips
- Use the information in the question to decide whether the organism reproduces asexually or sexually before explaining advantages and disadvantages.
- Structure your answer around genetic variation, speed, energy cost and number of parents to cover the main points.
- Link each advantage or disadvantage to the organism's situation, for example a stable habitat or a changing environment.
Try the lesson
The start of the Advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction (biology only): Students are expected to be able to explain the advantages and disadvantages of asexual and sexual reproduction for any organism if given appropriate information. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
A farmer wants to quickly produce a large number of crop plants that have the exact same disease resistance as a successful parent plant. Why is asexual reproduction an advantage in this situation?
Listen
Asexual reproduction produces genetically identical offspring by mitosis, so it is rapid, requires only one parent and is efficient when conditions are stable, but it gives no genetic variation, so a population may be wiped out by a disease or environmental change. Sexual reproduction involves gametes and fertilisation, producing genetic variation in offspring, which improves survival if the environment changes, but it requires two parents, uses more energy and is slower. For an unfamiliar organism, identify whether reproduction is asexual or sexual from the information, then explain advantages and disadvantages in terms of genetic variation, speed, energy and number of parents. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Asexual reproduction produces genetically identical offspring, so it is rapid and requires only one parent. Asexual reproduction gives no genetic variation, so all offspring are equally vulnerable to a disease or environmental change. Sexual reproduction produces genetic variation in offspring, which can improve survival when the environment changes. Sexual reproduction requires two parents, uses more energy and is often slower than asexual reproduction. Exam tip: Use the information in the question to decide whether the organism reproduces asexually or sexually before explaining advantages and disadvantages.
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Key words
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Asexual reproduction
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Sexual reproduction
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Genetic variation
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Application to unfamiliar organisms
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See every definition
- Asexual reproduction
- Produces genetically identical offspring by mitosis, so it is rapid, requires only one parent and is efficient when conditions are stable, but gives no genetic variation.
- Sexual reproduction
- Involves gametes and fertilisation, producing genetic variation in offspring, which improves survival if the environment changes, but requires two parents, uses more energy and is slower.
- Genetic variation
- Produced in offspring by sexual reproduction, it improves survival if the environment changes, whereas asexual reproduction gives none.
- Application to unfamiliar organisms
- Identify whether reproduction is asexual or sexual from the information, then explain advantages and disadvantages in terms of genetic variation, speed, energy and number of parents.
Label the diagram
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