1) For this assignment you must interview two people. Ask them this multiple choice question:
From where is the large majority of the mass of a block of wood of derived? (Show them a real piece of wood or a picture of a piece of wood)
1. Nutrients in the ground taken up by the roots
2. Water in the ground taken up by the roots
3. Out of thin air
4. The Sun

Then ask them why they think that their answer is correct. Finally report to them the correct answer and explain why it is correct.
In your write-up, please include the answers and explanations of the persons you interviewed.

2) For this assignment you are to demonstrate your knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of sexual and asexual reproduction. Watch the following two videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAXeVFeHwEA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F07cI3s1_1I
Next, to get credit for this assignment, please 1) submit at least three advantages of asexual reproduction; 2) submit at least three advantages of sexual reproduction; and 3) describe the example of the fish in the ponds of Sonora mexico and what it demonstrates about the importance of sexual reproduction.

You must proofread your paper. But do not strictly rely on your computer’s spell-checker and grammar-checker; failure to do so indicates a lack of effort on your part and you can expect your grade to suffer accordingly. Papers with numerous misspelled words and grammatical mistakes will be penalized. Read over your paper – in silence and then aloud – before handing it in and make corrections as necessary. Often it is advantageous to have a friend proofread your paper for obvious errors. Handwritten corrections are preferable to uncorrected mistakes.

Use a standard 10 to 12 point (10 to 12 characters per inch) typeface. Smaller or compressed type and papers with small margins or single-spacing are hard to read. It is better to let your essay run over the recommended number of pages than to try to compress it into fewer pages.

Likewise, large type, large margins, large indentations, triple-spacing, increased leading (space between lines), increased kerning (space between letters), and any other such attempts at “padding” to increase the length of a paper are unacceptable, wasteful of trees, and will not fool your professor.

The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION;

Asexual Reproduction

Introduction

Asexual reproduction is a way of making more cells. It occurs in organisms like plants and animals, where a single cell divides into two or more cells without making copies of the parent cell. This process of dividing is called mitosis or meiosis depending on whether it’s happening inside the parent or inside the new daughter (an egg or sperm).

What is asexual reproduction?

Asexual reproduction is when an organism reproduces without being fertilized by a male. It’s also called parthenogenesis, which means “virgin birth.” In some organisms, this can happen more commonly than sexual reproduction.

In many species of plants and animals (including humans), there are some forms of asexual reproduction that aren’t necessarily just “reproducing” in the sense that they’re using their own DNA to create offspring: these are called clonal propagation systems; for example, scientists have found evidence for this kind of cloning happening within mature trees!

How does it happen?

The exact method of reproduction can vary from organism to organism. Some organisms reproduce asexually by budding, which is when an individual develops from a single cell and grows into two or more individuals. This can be done in the case of coral reef corals, sea urchins and some fungi.

Other organisms reproduce asexually by fragmentation, which involves dividing into smaller pieces that grow independently and then reunite again (for example: water fleas).

There are also some organisms that reproduce sexually: they produce male and female gametes that fuse together to create offspring (for example: bees).

Examples in organisms

There are examples of asexual reproduction in the following organisms:

• Bacteria. Many bacteria have the ability to undergo binary fission, in which one cell divides into two daughter cells. This can occur when a single bacterium divides by fissioning, or when it undergoes conjugation and then forms more than one spore.

• Plants. The process of seed germination is an example of asexual reproduction in plants, as only some plants can reproduce sexually and also produce seeds like other plants do (although they may not be able to produce viable offspring).

Advantages of asexual reproduction

There are many advantages to asexual reproduction. First, asexual reproduction does not require the presence of another organism. Second, it does not allow for inbreeding to occur because there is no need for sexual partners and their offspring. Third, since there is no need for finding suitable places to lay eggs or make love (or have sex), asexual organisms can reproduce at any time of year not just during the mating season when they might be forced into mating with another organism they don’t want to mate with! Fourth and finally: Asexual organisms can reproduce more quickly than sexual ones because no one has an upper hand on who gets what egg or sperm first!

Disadvantages of asexual reproduction

There are several disadvantages to asexual reproduction. First, it does not lead to genetic diversity within the population and can therefore cause inbreeding. Second, there is no variation in offspring due to the lack of genetic exchange between parents and offspring (in other words, if you have two siblings who have both had sex before they were born then those kids will be more similar than say…two cousins). Thirdly there’s no chance for mutations or errors when making new genes you’ll be stuck with whatever genes your parents happen to give you! This also means that once again we’re missing out on valuable information as well as any chance at developing new traits over time through mutation; this may affect an individual’s ability to adapt when faced with changing conditions or threats such as disease outbreaks etcetera – which could mean life/death situations depending on how well equipped they were beforehand.”

Asexual reproduction is one way that organisms multiply.

Asexual reproduction is a form of reproduction in which an organism produces offspring without the involvement of sex. Unlike sexual reproduction, which involves the fusion of gametes to create new individuals, asexual reproduction involves multiplication through budding or fission. Some organisms reproduce by budding off new individuals from their body; others may break off pieces of their body and grow them into full-fledged adults.

Asexual reproduction can be common for some species but rare for others; for example, about half (52%) of all plant species are thought to reproduce through this method. It occurs more frequently in plants than animals because many plants have no male counterpart to fertilize them with pollen or sperm cells like animals do.[1] For example: Acacia trees produce seeds that germinate from within after being planted in soil; these seeds eventually grow into mature trees

Conclusion

Asexual reproduction is the process of creating a new individual from parts of an existing one. It’s used by many organisms, including some plants and animals, but it’s also found in some fungi and even protozoa. In most cases, this process involves dividing a parent cell into two identical cells (or clones), which then go on to produce offspring that can reproduce their own kind (or themselves). The advantages of this system are that there is no need for any genetic material or other resources like food or water just a few cells in each generation. Also, because all offspring have the same parent(s), they not only share common genetics but also often look identical or similar enough to other members of their species so as not be easily spotted as different individuals by predators or prey.