Question

The progeny of a sexual union contributes only one-half as much to the evolutionary fitness of either parent as asexually produced offspring. This reduction in fitness is called___________.

a) Heterosis
b) Inbreeding depression
c) Outbreeding depression
d) Red Queen hypothesis
e) Muller's ratchet

Answer 1

Inbreeding depression refers to the reduced fitness often seen in the offspring of related individuals due to the pairing of deleterious mutations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reduction in fitness due to the production of offspring by related individuals, or inbreeding, is called inbreeding depression. In inbreeding, the combination of related genomes can lead to reduced reproduction and survival rates because deleterious mutations can become paired. Genetic diversity is critical for the survival and adaptation of species, and inbreeding reduces this diversity by increasing the frequency of harmful alleles that can be expressed when two related individuals mate.