Question

Explain how Meiosis differs from mitosis and how these differences impact genetic diversity in sexually reproducing populations.

Answer 1

Meiosis differs from mitosis:

Meiosis results in haploid cells only and mitosis results in diploid cells.
Meiosis produces genetically different cells and mitosis produces two new identical cells

Genetic diversity:

During the course of evolution through the process of meiosis genetic diversity is taken placed. The advantage of sexual reproduction is that it generates genetic diversity.

Meiosis transforms a diploid cell into four haploid granddaughter cells, each having a single copy of each chromosome. During the early part of meiosis, the homologous chromosomes pair up with their non-identical twins and exchange regions of DNA. This process is called crossing over, and results in a shuffling of DNA regions between two homologous chromosomes. The process helps increase the genetic diversity of a species.