Biology 1001A Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Sexual Reproduction, Parental Investment
27 Dec 2015
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Document Summary
Mutational explanations offer long-term population-level benefits of sex: sexual reproduction. Helpful mutations spread faster than asexual organisms. Less prone to extinction compared to asexual organisms. Selection almost always operates on the benefit of the individual: short sighted, doesn"t operate in the interest of the long term, there must be a short-term benefit to sexual reproduction population. Ecological explanations for sex: in some environments, individuals benefit from sex: sex generates variation in offspring. Is this useful in a stable environment? (maybe best thing is to reproduce asexually, since the mother is already adapted to the environment) In a changing, unpredictable environment, different traits may be favoured in the offspring compared to the parental generation. Metaphor for evolutionary change for one species, there are many species that are evolving along with that species (disease, natural enemies, etc. ) Diseases invent new keys; hosts change the locks . Combining helpful mutations: short term advantages.
