For more than 100 years, scientists have debated the role sex plays in powering genetic mutation and producing higher biodiversity. According to an investigation led by Carlos J. Melian from Eawag – Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Switzerland, increasing the speed of evolution may increase genetic mutation, although it can reduce species diversity.
Dr. Melian, explained:
“The most intuitive connection is that if sec increases genetic variation and speeds up evolution, then ecosystems will have a higher number of species that reproduce sexually. However, the connection between high reproductive speed and a high number of species is a big jump, because little work has been done on the impact of sex on biodiversity.”
Based on ecological and evolutionary dynamics, the team developed new theoretical models in order to link either sexual or asexual reproduction to the origin of species and resulting biodiversity.
The researchers discovered that an increased genetic mutation as well as the rate new species were generated had virtually no impact on general biodiversity.
The paradox accounts for extinction, which due to the lower population size of new sexually reproductive species, is higher in sexual population as compared with asexual one.
This causes more prevalent extinction of those new species and as a result, the team concludes that an increased evolutionary rate and increased genetic mutation may not be necessary in order to produce numerous species in natural ecosystems.
Written by Grace Rattue