Final answer:
DNA replication involves conservative, semi-conservative, and dispersive models. While conservative replication is less costly, semi-conservative replication is commonly utilized because it generates genetic diversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
In DNA replication, there are three main models: conservative, semi-conservative, and dispersive. In conservative replication, the parental DNA remains together and the newly formed daughter strands are together. In semi-conservative replication, each of the two parental DNA strands acts as a template for new DNA to be synthesized, resulting in one parental strand and one new strand in each double-stranded DNA. Finally, in dispersive replication, both copies of DNA have segments of parental DNA and newly synthesized DNA interspersed.
Although conservative replication is less costly because it requires fewer steps and there is less chance of using up resources in a given environment, semi-conservative replication is commonly utilized because it generates genetic diversity. This is because each double-stranded DNA includes one parental or 'old' strand and one 'new' strand, resulting in variation in the offspring.