Selfing Or Mating? Sex With A Partner Is An Evolutionary Advantage
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 12:56
in Biology & Nature
It takes two to reproductively tango for humans but even when plants (or animals) can self-fertilize their offspring have longer lives when a mate is involved in the process, according to over 100 mini-evolution experiments involving nematode worms (Caenorhabditis elegans) at the University of Oregon. Going it alone increases susceptibility to genetic mutations and reduces that adaptability to changing environments, says their report in Nature. read more