Why is speciation by polyploidy more likely in plants than in animals?
A)Plant gametes can be produced from somatic cells that have undergone many rounds of mitosis.
B)Plant gametes lack postzygotic isolating mechanisms.
C)Plants lack the DNA repair enzymes that animals have.
D)Plants are sessile and cannot speciate via dispersal.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Polyploidy involves a rare event of genome duplication, leading to the formation of gametes with doubled chromosome number. In plants, this is more likely because they are capable of producing gametes from somatic cells that have undergone many rounds of mitosis. In contrast, animal gametes are derived from primordial germ cells that undergo meiosis and do not generate somatic cells.

Answer: B
 Polyploidy can lead to reproductive isolation, but plants lack postzygotic isolating mechanisms. This makes it easier for polyploid plants to reproduce with each other and create a new, reproductively isolated species.

Answer: C and D are incorrect.
 There is no evidence to suggest that plants lack the DNA repair enzymes that animals have. Additionally, while plants are sessile, this is not the reason why polyploidy is more likely in plants than in animals.

Why Is Speciation by Polyploidy More Likely in Plants Than