A male and female for each of two species, species A and species B, are placed in an experimental pond. Both species have the same generation time of two weeks, produce one offspring with each round of reproduction, are the same relative size, and have the same energetic requirements. You come back after one year and notice that there are 20 times more individuals of species A than species B. Which of the two species is likely breeding asexually?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that there are 20 times more individuals of species A than species B in just one year suggests that species A is reproducing at a much faster rate than species B. The most likely explanation for this is that species A is reproducing asexually, which allows for faster population growth as there is no need to find a mate and undergo meiosis to create genetically diverse offspring. Species B, on the other hand, is likely reproducing sexually, which is typically a slower process due to the need to find a mate and produce genetically diverse offspring through meiosis.

A Male and Female for Each of Two Species, Species