Which statement best describes how sexual and asexual reproduction affect genetic variation?

• A. Sexual reproduction produces identical offspring; asexual reproduction increases genetic variation.
• B. Asexual reproduction increases genetic variation by combining genes.
• C. Sexual reproduction increases genetic variation by combining genes; asexual reproduction produces clones.
• D. Both forms of reproduction yield the same level of genetic variation.

Answer: (C)

Genetic variation comes from how a population passes on genes. Sexual reproduction increases variation because offspring get genetic material from two different parents. During meiosis, crossing over and independent assortment shuffle alleles, and fertilization combines two diverse gametes, producing a zygote with a unique genotype. Asexual reproduction, on the other hand, copies the parent’s genome through mitosis, so the offspring are genetically identical to the parent (essentially clones) unless a mutation occurs. Because of this, sexual reproduction broadens genetic diversity, while asexual reproduction yields very little variation.