Video Transcript
A student writes, “Reproduction is
less important for an individual organism than it is for a species.” Is this correct? Why? (A) Yes, because an individual can
survive without reproduction, but if all the individuals in a species stop
reproducing, the species will go extinct. (B) No, because reproduction is an
essential life function that must be performed by individuals to ensure their
survival.
Let’s start by looking at why
species and/or individuals reproduce. Individuals reproduce by producing
offspring, or children. Reproduction is common to all
living species. In spite of its commonality across
living organisms, an individual organism does not need to reproduce in order to
survive. In fact, whether or not they
reproduce usually has little-to-no effect on the duration of an individual’s life
span. Also, typically, if one individual
in a species does not reproduce, it is unlikely to impact the species as a whole, as
there are many other individuals who can successfully produce offspring to continue
the species.
However, if an entire species fails
to reproduce, that species can become extinct. Therefore, though it is not
essential for individual survival, reproduction is essential for the continuity of a
species. So the correct answer to this
question is (A). It is correct to say that
reproduction is less important for an individual organism than it is for a species
because an individual can survive without reproduction. But if all the individuals in a
species stop reproducing, the species will go extinct.
