Reproductive Adaptations—anything that helps an organism to pass on its
genetic traits
Sexual vs. Asexual
1. What are the benefits of sexual reproduction as an adaptation? Which
kingdoms exhibit sexual reproduction?
Genetically unique offspring; animal, plant, fungi
2. What cell process is necessary to provide cells for sexual reproduction?
Why are these cells different from body cells?
Meiosis; have half the DNA of body cells because they are going fuse to
make a new individual
3. What are the benefits of asexual reproduction as an adaptation? Which
kingdoms exhibit asexual reproduction?
No mate required; bacteria, protists
4. What cell process is used for asexual reproduction by single-celled
organisms?
Binary fission (basically mitosis)
5. There are many kingdoms that have individuals that reproduce both
sexually and asexually. What is the advantage of having both methods?
You can make unique individuals or if no mate is available have offspring
that are clones
6. Describe some methods that multicellular plants and animals reproduce
asexually.
Cutting; budding;propagation
Types of Fertilization
7. To produce offspring sexually, sperm cells must travel to the egg. What are
animal adaptations to get sperm and egg together in the water and on
land?
Sperm can swim in the water; internal fertilization on land; mating season
or spawning season.
a. Plants adaptations?
Pollen(sperm) travels through the air to the egg
8. What are some of the reproductive organs of plants? What is the
advantage of each?
Cones-pollen can be carried by wind
Flowers –attract pollinators
9. Label the parts of a flower below:
petals
Pistil-female parts;
stigma at top with style
holding it up
Stamen-pollen on anther,
filament holds it up
Ovary-holds ovules;
becomes fruit
sepals
10.What is the benefit of having seeds in fruit?
Provides more protection;could provide nutrients when it decomposes;
attracts animals that will spread the seed without eating the seed
Eggs
11.What is an egg? What is its purpose? Which kingdom uses eggs during
offspring development? Place for baby to develop; animals
12. What is an amniotic egg? What is its advantage over non-amniotic eggs?
Which classes of animals use amniotic eggs? Protective covering, and food
source for the baby to use during development; can be laid away from
water; reptiles, birds, mammals
Development
13. All organisms must get bigger or _grow_______, but many animals also
develop or change from a baby to and adult (able to make their own
offspring). This change can be large or a ___complete metamorphosis___.
Give some examples below of animals whose baby or __larva_______ form
is very different from the adult form. What is the adaptive advantage of this
method? Caterpillars—butterflies, moths; maggots—flies; tadpoles--frogs
Can live in different environment from parents to get better protection and
not have to be raised; will not compete with parents for food
14.__incomplete______ metamorphosis is when the baby grows larger and
has only subtle changes to become an adult. What are some examples of
this, and could it be an adaptation?
Grasshopper; spiders; vertebrates; it could help parent recognize baby and
want to take care of it
15. In mammals, different orders have different types of development: eggs,
pouches, and placentas. Which classes have which?
Eggs-monotremes (duck-billed platypus); pouches-marsupials (kangaroos,
possum); placenta-primates, carnivores, whales, hoofed animals, rodents,
bats, etc.
a. What is the difference in each and the adaptive advantage of each?
Different method of development; each gives more protection
offspring and allows for more time to develop.
b. What do all mammals give their offspring? What is the advantage of
this?
Milk; perfect food for newborn even if there is nothing for adults to
eat
Seeds and Spores
16.Spores haploid. What does that mean? Has half DNA of diploid/body cell
17.Spores are found in the protist that causes malaria, some plants and all
fungi. They can grow into an organism without fertilization. What is the
advantage of this type of structure?
Do not need a mate to spread genetic material
18. How does a seed protect a plant’s offspring? What are its main parts?
What is its adaptive advantage over a plant that does not produce seeds?
Allows offspring a dormant period until there is enough oxygen and water;
protective seed coat, food source and offspring; baby does not have to grow if
conditions are not correct and baby is protected until it does start to grow
19. If plants cannot move, how would its seeds get dispersed? Why would it
want to disperse its seeds?
Wind;animals; floating;planting; it doesn’t have to compete with its parent
20.Draw some methods that plants use to disperse their seeds. What is the
adaptation of each?
21. Write a sentence that describes how amniotic eggs and seeds have
adapted separately but do similar jobs for each of their respective
organisms.