Question

A student claims that a population that reproduces asexually will be better able to survive in an environment in which a disease has been introduced. Which statement best evaluates the student's claim?

A.
The student's claim is incorrect because the population would be genetically identical, increasing the vulnerability to the disease.

B.
The student's claim is incorrect because the population would grow too slowly to replace organisms that have died from the disease.

C.
The student's claim is correct because the population would be genetically diverse, allowing many of the organisms to avoid being affected by the disease.

D.
The student's claim is correct because the population size would be very large, allowing a larger percentage of organisms to establish immunity against the disease.

Answer 1

A. The student's claim is incorrect because asexually reproducing populations tend to be genetically similar (clonal), so a disease that can infect one individual can likely infect many, increasing vulnerability.