A conservation team is increasing the number of plants of a species that produces underground tubers and seeds. This species cannot fertilise itself. The team has recorded conditions at two sites.
| Site | Number of plants of this species currently at the site | Expected conditions | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1 | Likely to remain similar | 50 plants are needed by the end of next summer |
| B | 24 | Likely to become drier | A new disease has recently been found at the site |
To prevent the disease being transferred, plants, tubers, pollen and seeds cannot be moved between the two sites. Any seeds must be produced using the plants already at that site. If tubers are used at a site, all of them will be collected from one selected parent plant at that site.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of producing new plants from tubers or from seeds for the conservation team. Use the information in the table to suggest which method would be more suitable at each site.
92 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Biology 3.1 Reproduction and meiosis, covering 3.1.1 Advantages and disadvantages of reproduction and 3.1.2 Role of meiotic cell division. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.