Question

The red queen hypothesis proposes that sex is beneficial because:

1) genetic variation in offspring generated through sex is advantageous in a changing environment
2) sex allows populations to weed out deleterious mutations
3) sex maintains advantageous mutations in populations
4) sexual females are able to produce more offspring than asexuals

Answer 1

The Red Queen hypothesis posits that sex is beneficial for species because it produces genetic variation, which aids survival in changing environments; this is best exemplified by sexually reproducing species adapting to resist parasites, unlike their asexual counterparts.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Red Queen hypothesis suggests that sexual reproduction is advantageous primarily because it generates genetic variation, which in turn benefits organisms in a constantly changing environment. This hypothesis, first proposed by Leigh Van Valen in 1973, maintains that species must continually adapt and evolve not just for progression but to maintain their existence in relation to other co-evolving species. As such, the best scenario supporting the Red Queen Hypothesis from the choices provided is: b. Individuals of a snail population that reproduce asexually die out after a parasite invades its territory. This option illustrates how sexual reproduction could have benefited the snail population by providing genetic diversity that might have allowed some individuals to survive the parasitic challenge.

In contrast, sexual reproduction could be detrimental to an individual if the cost of finding a mate and producing offspring reduces that individual's survival or if the offspring do not inherit the best possible combination of genes.