Question

Sexual reproduction is an evolutionary puzzle. Label the lettered parts of your answer. A. Why is sex a puzzle; what are its costs? Don’t merely list them; describe how each is a cost. B. According to the Red Queen model, what benefits might compensate for these costs? C. Some previously sexual species have reverted to asexuality; according to the Red Queen model when should that happen? Explain.

Answer 1

A. The total process of sexuall reproduction requires so much energy but inspite of this many species retained sex as their strategy for reproduction. So evolutionary biological called sex as a puzzle. There are so many costs like gamete production, gestation period and parental caring. For zygote formation just one ovum and one sperm is enough. But male produce massive amounts of sperm. Each sperm and ovum are made by so many proteins and we all know that protein synthesis(translation) is an active process and hence requires ATP. In prenatal and post natal caring there also so many energy are consumed.

B. According to Red Queen hypothesis parental care by the mate are compensated for these costs.

C. According to the red Queen model the genotype of one mate is not superior but it behaviour like it is superior and after reproduction the offspring will not be superior thus there was no or less compensation to the cost. Hence some previously sexual species have reverted to asextuality.