Question #73653
1 Answer
Mutations provide additional genetic diversity. Combined with sexual reproduction, there is an exponentially larger chance for genetic diversity - which is good!
Explanation:
Mutations and sexual reproduction are what gives diversity.
Sexual reproduction requires an organism's gamete to "combine" with another organism's gametes. This process itself creates genetic diversity.
Unlike asexual reproduction, where an organism essentially makes a clone of itself (assuming no mutations occur), sexual reproduction provides the basis of creating a diverse variety of offspring.
Mutations are changes in an organism's genetic materials (DNA/RNA). A common misinterpretation is that mutations are bad and undesirable, when in fact, mutations are the basis of genetic diversity.
Consider this... monocrop farmers cultivate plants with the same DNA. Even with sexual reproduction, DNA does not change unless a mutation occurs. However, farmers do not want mutations. As a result, these crops are not genetically diverse. If a disease were to surface, then the entire crop field becomes infected.
Hope this helps :)
