Question

Under what conditions would sexual reproduction be more desirable than asexual? • As you have seen, sexual reproduction is a longer and more complex process than asexual; but it represents a benefit for the fungus. Which one?

Answer 1

ANSWER

microbes, fungi and plants support the theoretical prediction that negative condition-dependent sex, in which individuals in poor condition are more likely to reproduce sexually, can be evolutionarily advantageous under a wide range of settings. Here, we review the evidence for condition-dependent sex and its potential implications for the long-term survival and adaptability of populations.exual reproduction is more common among individuals in poor condition. Such negative dependence can occur due to either environmental or individual phenotypic variation. It has long been known that in certain species the level of sexual reproduction is regulated according to environmental cues . When the environmental cue indicates a detrimental change (e.g. extreme temperature or desiccation), such regulation would result in negative association between condition and sex. By contrast, sexual reproduction can also be regulated as a response to internal stress cues, allowing within-population variation in sexual reproduction.

In fungal species that undergo sexual reproduction, aneuploid progeny - that is, progeny with duplicated or missing chromosomes - can be produced at a relatively high frequency.They can increase their genetic variation through sexual reproduction when conditions are changing and variation may help them survive.