Final answer:
Sexual reproduction introduces genetic diversity, which is advantageous for population survival in changing environments, but it can be risky for individual offspring due to possible detrimental variations; by contrast, asexual reproduction is less energetically costly but lacks genetic variation.
Correct option is a) Sexual reproduction increases genetic variation
Step-by-step explanation:
Sexual reproduction is beneficial to a population because it results in genetic diversity. This diversity is critical for the survival and reproduction of a population, especially in changing environments, as it increases the chances that some offspring will have the necessary traits to thrive and continue the species. However, sexual reproduction can be detrimental to an individual offspring because not all variations are beneficial; some can be harmful or reduce an individual's chance of survival and reproduction. This contrasts with asexual reproduction, where offspring are clones of the parent and thus uniformly adapted to stable environments, though they lack genetic variation to cope with change.
While sexual reproduction is more energetically costly and requires finding a mate, leading to fewer offspring than asexual reproduction, it is favored in many species because of the long-term benefits of genetic variation. Crossovers during prophase I and random assortment at metaphase I of meiosis contribute to the genetic reshuffling that is unique to sexual reproduction.