Reproduction

 

Many organisms that can create progeny sexually and asexually, such as Lingulodinium polyedrum, perform these reproductive strategies based on the environmental conditions. When environmental conditions are favorable, an organism will asexually reproduce to preserve the favorable genes. If there is a negative change in the environmental conditions, the organism will sexually reproduce to produce progeny that have a better chance at surviving, which is also known as increased fitness, for the changed environment.  
When Lingulodinium polyedrum reproduces sexually, it produces cells that are in a vegetative state (Cetta and Anderson, 1990). These cells then come together to create planozygotes, after which they can become immobile benthic cysts or hypnozygotes (Cetta and Anderson, 1990). When Lingulodinium polyedrum produce asexually, they perform binary fission (Dodge, 1989). This method is where the progeny buds off of the parent and continues to grow into adult form through mitosis.

Overall, it is extremely useful for an organism to be able to reproduce both sexually and asexually. This helps them be able to conform to their environment by either producing identical progeny that is already adapted to the environment or producing progeny with mixed alleles that will hopefully increase its chances for survival.

 

 

 

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