Paper for discussion 10

The evolution of sexual reproduction

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Question for tutorial

What is the evolutionary advantage of sex?

Required readings

Becks, L., & A. F. Agrawal. 2012. The evolution of sex is favoured during adaptation to new environments. PLoS Biology, 10: e1001317.

Additional, optional references

Becks, L. & A. F. Agrawal. 2010. Higher rates of sex evolve in spatially heterogeneous environments. Nature 468: 89-92.

Goddard, M. R., H. C. J. Godfray, and A. Burt. 2005. Sex increases the efficacy of natural selection in experimental yeast populations. Nature 434: 636-640.

Kaltz, O. and G. Bell. 2002. The ecology and genetics of fitness in Chlamydomonas. XII. Repeated sexual episodes increases rates of adaptation to novel environments. Evolution 56: 1743-1753.

Otto, S. P. 2009. The evolutionary enigma of sex. American Naturalist 174 Supplement: S1-S14.