Question

In 1992, Spolsky, Phillips, and Uzzell reported genetic evidence that asexually reproducing lineages of a sala- mander species have persisted for about 5 million years. Is this surprising? Why or why not? Speculate about what sort of environment these asexual salamanders live in, and whether their population sizes are typically small (say, less than 100) or large (say, more than 1,000).

Answer 1

Sexual reproduction is more common due to the advantages it provides, such as genetic diversity and adaptation. Asexual salamanders can have small population sizes, and their reproductive strategies vary based on their habitat.

Step-by-step explanation:

Sexual reproduction is more common than asexual reproduction in multicellular organisms. This is because sexual reproduction creates variation among offspring, which is important for the survival and reproduction of the population. Asexual reproduction only relies on mutation for variation. Additionally, asexual populations have the advantage of every individual being capable of reproduction, leading to faster population growth. However, asexual reproduction is rare because the advantages of sexual reproduction, such as genetic diversity and adaptation, outweigh the disadvantages.

The environment that asexual salamanders live in is not specified in the given information. However, salamanders typically reproduce using internal fertilization of eggs and have various reproductive strategies based on their habitat. Aquatic salamanders lay eggs in water, while terrestrial salamanders lay eggs in damp nests. The population size of asexual salamanders can vary, but typically populations of asexual organisms tend to have smaller population sizes.