Reproduction is important for the continuous existence of living things. Without this, the world will just become an empty space. One of the methods to reproduce is known as sexual reproduction. This is a process that requires the union of two distinct reproductive cells referred to as gametes to produce an offspring. Basically, plant and animals, including humans, undergo sexual reproduction, a process that undergoes several steps, from fertilization to producing a new organism. However, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with this reproduction method.
List of Pros of Sexual Reproduction
1. Continuity of Life.
One of the benefits of sexual reproduction is its assurance that there will be succeeding generations in the future. Without this process, living things will rely on asexual reproduction to populate. Unfortunately, not all living things are capable of reproducing asexually. That said, the world will not be looking forward to future generations. If the older population dies and sexual reproduction will be stopped, life on earth can end as well. Without this process, life on earth may become extinct.
2. Organ Donation.
An offspring born sexually has 46 chromosomes, half of which comes from the father and the other half, from the mother. If either the mother or father will undergo an organ transplant, the child can be a possible donor. On the other hand, if the child will be the one to need an organ, say, a kidney, one of the parents can also be a donor.
3. Increase of Survival.
During sexual reproduction, cell division occurs. This means that there is a natural occurrence of chromosome variability. Consequently, there is a bigger chance of survival since these variations are significant when it comes to surviving harsh conditions. Since this process involves crossing over of alleles from parents, there will be a variety in offspring and the possibility that some of the offspring will be able to survive and reproduce as well.
List of Cons of Sexual Reproduction
1. Overpopulation.
One of the problems in the world today is overpopulation. With sexual reproduction, the population increases. Although this should not really be a problem, if there will be no control in the increase of the population, poverty, pollution and other economic problems are likely to aggravate.
2. Reproduction Period.
In some animal and plant species, sexual reproduction requires a long amount of time which can be months and years just like in plants and trees. If death occurs during the process, it becomes futile. This is also one of the downsides of this reproduction method that drive breeders to go for asexual reproduction instead.
3. Failure Possibility.
Since this process requires two reproductive cells, there is a possibility that one of the gametes has defective chromosomes. If this happens, the possibility of congenital anomalies is also higher. Moreover, there is no guarantee that meiosis or cell division will be successful as well as the mating process.
Sexual reproduction is crucial to human existence as well as survival of other species. However, it is utterly important to be aware of the pros and cons of this form of reproduction to ensure the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.
