List of Advantages of Asexual Reproduction

1. It allows for rapid populating.

This form of reproduction offers the ability to produce large quantities of
offspring. All you need to do is put a particular organism in a very suitable
habitat, and it would rapidly reproduce more new individuals. This means that
you can fill up a niche quickly and prevent competition and intruders from
invading.
2. It does not require mobility.
With asexual reproduction, you can reproduce organisms in just a single area,
and you do not need to move to other places just to see the process occur.
Take note that many plants and animals that rarely move to other places are
the ones mostly able to create offspring on their own.
3. It does not need mates.
Finding a mate can be very difficult, especially for organisms that are living in
desolate environments, such as deep ocean ecosystems. Now, asexual
reproduction takes the need to find a mate away, allowing organisms to
multiply on their own when it is time.

List of Disadvantages of Asexual Reproduction

1. It hinders diversity.
Since the characteristics and traits of only one parent is passed on to its
offspring, asexual reproduction would hinder genetic diversity all of its
generations. This causes for the population of the organisms to be exactly
identical. With sexual reproduction, this has been a huge advantage, as we
are able to mix gene pools to ensure a diverse ecosystem.
2. It poses some inheritance issues.
Most of the time, it would only require a single asexual parent from which we
can copy chromosomes and genes, which means the genetic defects or
mutations that are bred out in asexual reproduction would still exist in the
offspring without any exception. This disadvantage can even lead to more
unfavorable mutations, which make asexually produced organisms
susceptible to diseases, which also means a huge number of offspring would
be destroyed.
3. It can lead organisms to being prone to extinction.
All of the same traits and characteristics also entail all of the same
weaknesses, so we can assume that a certain parasite or predator that has
evolved to kill a particular asexual organism will be able to take out its entire
population. In simple terms, asexual reproduction can lead to struggle for
existence.
List of the Advantages of Sexual Reproduction
1. It creates a unique organism.
Because there are two parents involved in the process of sexual reproduction,
there is a greater chance that evolution of the species will take place. The
genetic information from each individual combine to improve the foundation of
the offspring, creating an adaptive way to begin managing the challenges of
new environments. This process allows animals to begin changing coat
colors, specific traits to become emphasized, and other benefits that can
ensure the survival of the species.
“I realized that nature had invented reproduction as a mechanism for life to
move forward,” said Louie Schwartzberg, “as a life force that passes right
through us and makes is a link in the evolution of life.”

2. This option reduces the risk of genetic disease.

If asexual reproduction occurs, then the offspring becomes a direct copy of
the parent unless mutations occur during cell reproduction. That process is
why scientists believe that it is a superior method to sexual reproduction, even
if nature prefers otherwise. When only one parent is necessary to continue the
species, then long-term survival is almost guaranteed. What you will find with
this advantage is that the risk of spreading genetic disease is greatly reduced,
even if one parent is a carrier, because the combination process uses the
materials from both contributors to create a new organism.
3. It allows for genetic diversity.
Although there are times when complex animals can reproduce asexually
even though they prefer sexual reproduction, it is not in their best interest to
do so. The combination of two genetic material donations allows for there to
be a higher level of genetic diversity, which is necessary to keep the general
population of any species healthy. The times when it does seem to occur
spontaneously are when females are kept isolated in high-stress
environments.

List of the Disadvantages of Sexual Reproduction

1. Less than 50% of the population is capable of gestation.
Sexual reproduction allows a majority of females of child-bearing age to
participate in gestation with this method. Males do not generally bear their
young, although Mother Nature does have some examples where that option
is possible. Individuals who show characteristics of both genders (or no
gender) may not have the capability of participating in this part of the
reproductive process. That means there is a significant risk to the survival of
the species if one or the other sexes is in limited supply.
“The reproduction of mankind is a great marvel and mystery,” said Martin
Luther King, Jr. “Had God consulted me in the matter, I should have advised
him to continue the generation of the species by fashioning them out of clay.”

2. It requires each gender to find a mate.

Asexual reproduction allows a parent to have a child when the time is right for
that process to occur. Sexual reproduction requires the finding of a mate. If
one is not found, then it is not possible to produce offspring. Humans work
around this issue by creating genetic donation banks where single parents
can pursue having a child, but it still requires the use of a surrogate or
donated gamete to create the offspring.
Parthenogenesis occurs in nature quite often, including with complex animals
like sharks and lizards. We also know that, with assistance, stem cells from
female donors can be induced to grow into sperm cells.

3. Outside influences can determine offspring viability.

Because asexual reproduction occurs immediately with a direct genetic
transfer, there is a lower risk that the pregnancy will not be viable. There are
outside factors that can influence the processes of gestation with sexual
reproduction so that a healthy offspring can still develop unwanted changes to
their genetic profile. Mothers who drink alcohol during their pregnancy,
continue to smoke, or fail to consume enough folic acid can make their
otherwise healthy children develop physical or mental disabilities that could
impact their entire life.
About 3,000 newborns every year have neural tube birth defects that are
directly attributed to a lack of folic acid each year.