What is sex for? Sexually reproducing individuals only pass on half their
genetic information to each offspring, and only half of these offspring
can themselves produce offspring. Despite these disadvantages, few
strictly asexual species exist. But the means of sexual reproduction
are astonishingly diverse. In different species, the sex of each
individual may be determined by genetics, by environmental factors, or
even by social status. We will read works on the natural history of
reproduction in animals and plants, and study evolutionary theory,
genetics, and ecology.