Final answer:
While asexual reproduction may seemingly offer higher individual fitness due to faster reproduction and energy saving, the lack of genetic diversity can be a significant disadvantage. This is because without genetic diversity, a population lacks the ability to adapt to change, which can have severe consequences for its long-term survival and fitness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of this question involves the comparison of asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction in terms of fitness, primarily within the field of Biology. An asexual organism has theoretically higher fitness than a sexually reproducing organism because it can produce offspring faster, it saves energy required for finding a mate, and each asexual offspring is a genetic clone, with all offspring able to reproduce. However, one reason you wouldn't expect an asexual individual to have higher fitness is because of their lack of genetic diversity. Genetic diversity confers a community or population with the potential to adapt to changing environments or diseases, which can significantly influence long-term survival and fitness. If a harmful mutation or disease susceptiblity arises in an asexually reproducing population, it can be devastating because all individuals share the same genetic blueprint.
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