IGCSE Biology: Reproduction — Practice Questions & Answers
Master IGCSE Biology reproduction: asexual and sexual reproduction, flowers, pollination, fertilisation, the human reproductive system, the menstrual cycle and STIs.
1039 practice questions available for this topic — here are 10 with full answers and explanations.
Reproduction: The biological process by which living organisms produce new individuals of the same species.
Asexual reproduction: A process that produces genetically identical offspring from one parent, without the fusion of gametes.
Sexual reproduction: A process involving the fusion of the nuclei of two gametes (sex cells) to form a zygote, producing offspring that are genetically different from the parents.
Clone: An organism that is genetically identical to its parent, produced by asexual reproduction.
Advantages of asexual reproduction: Only one parent is needed, reproduction is rapid and no mate is required, allowing fast colonisation of a suitable environment.
Disadvantages of asexual reproduction: All offspring are genetically identical, so the population has little variation and may all be wiped out by a single disease or environmental change.
Advantages of sexual reproduction: It produces genetic variation, so some offspring may be better able to survive disease or environmental change.
Disadvantages of sexual reproduction: Two parents are usually needed and reproduction is slower, requiring more time and energy to find a mate.