Advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction (biology only)
Practise 35 exam-style questions on Advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction (biology only) for AQA GCSE Biology. Write your answer as you would in the exam and get it marked in seconds against the mark scheme, point by point, with an AI tutor on hand if you get stuck.
35 questions
2–4 marks each
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20 questions, marked as you go
Sample questions with model answers
Here are 4 of the questions in this topic, each with a model answer, an explanation of why it earns the marks and the mark scheme an examiner would use.
Question 1
2 marks
Why is sexual reproduction considered to 'speed up' natural selection?
Model answer
By mixing genes, favourable alleles can be combined and spread more quickly, allowing adaptive traits to increase in a population across generations.
Explanation
Sex shuffles alleles so beneficial traits can appear together and be preferentially selected, accelerating evolutionary change compared to mutation alone.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Mixes genes to create new allele combinations
1 mark
Favourable combinations are selected and become more common faster
Question 2
3 marks
Malarial parasites reproduce asexually in humans but sexually in mosquitoes. Give one advantage of sexual reproduction in the mosquito stage.
Model answer
Creates genetic variation which may help the parasite adapt to mosquito immune responses or other environmental pressures.
Explanation
Sex in mosquitoes mixes alleles, producing new combinations that may enable some parasites to better survive mosquito defenses or changing conditions, aiding long-term survival.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Creates genetic variation in parasites
1 mark
Variation may allow adaptation to mosquito immune system / new environments
Explain how disease pressure might drive the evolution of sexual reproduction in a population.
Model answer
High disease pressure favours genetic diversity because rare or new allele combinations can confer resistance; sexual reproduction generates such diversity and is therefore selected for.
Explanation
Parasites and pathogens create strong selective pressure; sexual reproduction's shuffling of genes can produce resistant phenotypes that are favoured by natural selection.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Disease pressure selects for resistance alleles
1 mark
Sex produces new allele combinations / variation
1 mark
Individuals with new resistant combinations survive and reproduce (selection)
Question 4
4 marks
Describe how genetic variation produced by sexual reproduction arises (two mechanisms).
Model answer
Independent assortment of chromosomes in meiosis; crossing over (recombination) between homologous chromosomes in meiosis; fertilisation combining different parental gametes.
Explanation
Meiosis shuffles genetic material via independent assortment and recombination; fertilisation then joins gametes from different parents, creating unique genotypes.
Mark scheme
1 mark
Independent assortment of chromosomes during meiosis
1 mark
Crossing over / recombination between homologous chromosomes
1 mark
Fusion of gametes (fertilisation) combines different parental alleles
1 mark
Any one mechanism described correctly (if not already stated)
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