A Principle Advantage of Sexual Reproduction is That It ________

Question

A principle advantage of sexual reproduction is that it ________.
A) reduces linkage disequilibrium
B) helps to recreate genotypes that are either rare or missing in a population, but are favored by selection
C) regenerates genotypes in the evolutionary "arms race" between parasites and hosts
D) All of the above.

Accepted Answer

Sexual reproduction has multiple advantages. It reduces linkage disequilibrium by breaking up advantageous combinations of alleles that may have developed through genetic drift or directional selection. It also helps recreate genotypes that are rare or missing in a population, but that are favored by selection, thereby increasing genetic diversity. Additionally, it regenerates genotypes in the "arms race" between parasites and hosts, as new combinations of alleles can provide a better defense against parasites that may have evolved to overcome previous genotypes. Thus, all of the choices are correct.