Question 7
What do you mean by fragmentation and budding in animals?
Answer
Fragmentation and budding are methods of asexual reproduction found in some animals.
Fragmentation is a process in which the parent organism breaks into pieces, and each piece can grow into a new individual. This is commonly found in some species of sea stars, where a single arm of the star can grow into a new organism after detaching from the parent.
Budding is a process in which a new individual develops as an outgrowth or bud on the parent organism. This is found in many animals, including hydra and some jellyfish. The bud grows and eventually separates from the parent, forming a new individual.
Both fragmentation and budding allow animals to reproduce asexually, without the need for a mate or fertilization. However, these methods also limit genetic diversity and the ability to adapt to changing environments, which can be a disadvantage compared to sexual reproduction.
