Join our discussion: Advantages and disadvantages of asexual reproduction. The process of fragmentation is found in plants, animals, and diverse microscopic organisms as a form of reproduction. Fragmentation is very commonly seen in both fungi and lichens. Molds, yeasts, and mushrooms are some of the types of fungi where reproduction is achieved via asexual fragmentation.
The special type of structure that is achieved for the process of splitting is referred to as hyphae. They are the filamentous branches from which the mycelium of the fungi is made. They are the branches of the mother fungi from where they can be detached easily and transform themselves. Before the process of splitting, the hyphae grow on the fungi from where they obtain the food and water that are essential for growth and nourishment.
Once the hyphae are mature enough to feed on their own and reproduce they detach from the parent body and live independently. Certain algae also reproduce by fragmentation. For example, filamentous algae, such as Spirogyra , reproduce by cutting themselves into fragments. The fragmentation in plants is most commonly described as the vegetative type of fragmentation. In plants, mostly the diameter of their colonies is enhanced by producing new root and shoot systems via the dispersion of rhizomes or stolon from the old trees, shrubs, ferns, and perennials.
Thus, once the root is detached from the colony, it tends to grow on its own thus giving rise to a completely new root system. Other common examples of natural fragmentation are as follows:. Below is the video depicting the occurrence of fragmentation in plants and its importance to them.
Fragmentation is observed in many coral colonies. Both hard corals and soft corals can be fragmented easily. Similarly, breeds like Montipora, Acropora, Pocillopora, Euphyllia, and Caulastrea are capable of fragmentation.
Many marine anemones reproduce themselves via the process of splitting or fragmentation. Other examples of animal fragmentation are those of starfish and Planaria , which have been elaborated on in the previous sections.
The word cloning here refers to the fact that the reproduced individuals exhibit identical DNA to that of their ancestors. This occurs at fragmentation. However, it is not an exclusive process as DNA cloning occurs in other forms of asexual reproduction as well, such as binary fission.
Thus, DNA cloning is an important cellular process in asexual reproduction. DNA cloning can be achieved both naturally as well as via artificial methods.
Researchers made use of this process in laboratories for research and experimental studies. Apart from this molecular aspect of the use of fragmentation, the term is also used to describe another cellular process wherein cellular parts undergo fragmentation.
This is seen especially in apoptosis. Apoptosis is the process in which the programmed destruction of cells occurs and it is achieved by a very organized sequence of morphological changes. Moreover, the morphological changes are characterized by cellular and nuclear shrinkage, chromatin fragmentation and condensation, the formation of apoptotic bodies, and the process of phagocytosis of all the available neighboring cells.
Additionally, apoptosis involves the uniform endonucleases activations with the cleavages of DNA in the fragments of either one hundred and eighty base pairs or the multiples of the one hundred and eighty base pairs. Thus, the relation between apoptosis and DNA fragmentation plays a very major role in maintaining cellular organization. Find out how asexual reproduction, such as fragmentation, can be beneficial to organisms. Join our Forum to learn more: Advantages and disadvantages of asexual reproduction.
The biological process by which the organisms split into two or more fragments to become new individuals offspring is called fragmentation.
These fragments grow and mature into a whole new generation with identical characteristics to their parents. Fragmentation is also referred to as splitting in various literature and are the synonyms of each other.
The process of fragmentation is asexual, which means that only a single parent is involved. Therefore, the offspring most likely will carry the same genetic characteristics.
On the other hand, the reproduction in which both male and female parents are involved is known as sexual reproduction. Both types of reproduction have their pros and cons. Fragmentation occurs in three stages. The process begins with the formation of fragments. This is followed by the development of fragments, and then, ends at the conversion of fragments into developed species.
The whole cycle of asexual reproduction especially fragmentation is of great biological importance. The formation of identical species, lesser time of reproduction, and transfer of positive genes from parent to offspring are some of the key advantages of fragmentation whereas the lack of or the reduced genetic diversity, same heritage problems, and unable to cope up with the environmental changes are some of the disadvantages of it. Fragmentation is also used to refer to certain cellular processes.
As fragmentation refers generally to the breaking or cutting of a large entity into smaller parts, it is used to pertain to cell processes such as DNA fragmentation occurring during DNA cloning and cell fragmentation, which is particularly the final stage of apoptosis.
The two main areas where fragmentation plays a very vital role in biological cells are apoptosis and DNA cloning. In DNA cloning part of the genes are transferred from the main body to fragments whereas, in apoptosis, the decay of dead cells occurs.
Try to answer the quiz below to find out what you have learned so far about fragmentation biology. Miller-Rushing, A. How does habitat fragmentation affect biodiversity?
A controversial question at the core of conservation… ResearchGate; Elsevier. Com; Vedantu. Difference Between Fragmentation and Regeneration. Jessen, T.
Habitat fragmentation provides a competitive advantage to an invasive tree squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis. Biological Invasions, 20 3 , — Hecht, L. Potential effects of habitat fragmentation on wild animal welfare. ResearchGate; unknown. Bryophytes nonvascular plants are a plant group characterized by lacking vascular tissues. They include the mosses, the liverworts, and the hornworts. These groups of plants require external water, usually in the form of dew or rain.
Some of them grow exclusively in dark, damp environments in order to provide moisture. Find out more about them here Read More. Overview of Chirology. Skip to content Main Navigation Search.
Dictionary Articles Tutorials Biology Forum. Table of Contents. Fragmentation biology definition : 1 a form of asexual reproduction wherein a parent organism breaks into fragments, each capable of growing independently into a new organism, 2 breaking into smaller parts or fragments. Synonyms: spallation. Which of the following pertains to biological fragmentation?
The breaking into smaller fragments and each, capable of growing into a new organism. All of the above. Which of these organisms do not reproduce by means of fragmentation? Which is not a reproductive fragmentation? A part dissociating from the parent body.
Splitting of a body part to grow into a new organims. Regenerating a lost body part. An advantage of reproductive fragmentation A mate is not mandatory to achieve reproduction. It may be man-made. Because of that, these type of organisms tend to develop specific organs that could shed or broken off easily.
Even though fragmentation may occur without the preparation of the organism, all the fragments should be able to regenerate complete organism for them to reproduce and to function properly. As discussed above, fragmentation is a process of splitting. Hence, it is also known as splitting. This method of reproduction is seen in many organisms such as filamentous cyanobacteria, lichens many plants, and molds. It is also seen in animals such as sponges, acoel flatworms, sea stars, and some species of annelid worms.
Fragmentation in Diverse Organisms. Fragmentation in Fungi. Fragmentation is seen in various types of fungi such as molds, yeasts, mushrooms.
They do reproduction by fragmentation utilizing a specific type of structure, known as hyphae. Hyphae can be defined as each of the branching filaments that make up the mycelium of a fungus. It is a branched portion of the parent fungi body and they can easily get rid off it. During the lifecycle of hyphae, they obtain food and other nutrients from the parent fungi body. By doing this, hyphae eventually grow and become mature, and ultimately, they become ready for fertilization.
Now, a piece of hyphae breaks off from the parent body and enters into a growth phase as an individual body. Eventually, they also mature and grow hyphae, and this way, the cycle continues. Fragmentation in Lichens. Lichen is a composite organism resulting from algae or cyanobacteria that live in a mutualistic relationship between filaments of multiple species of fungi. The combined lichen has different properties than those of the organisms that make up it.
Lichens come in a multitude of colors, sizes and shapes. Many lichens create specialized structures that can break and disperse easily. These structures include both mycobiont hyphae and algae phycobiont see soredia and isidia. Larger thallus fragments may break up when the lichen dries or because of mechanical disturbances see the lichens reproduction section. Fragmentation in Plants. Fragmentation in plants is a very common type of vegetative reproduction.
Many trees, shrubs, nonwoody perennials, and ferns form clonal colonies by producing rhizomes or stolons to produce new rooted shoots that increase the colony's diameter. If a rooted shoot becomes detached from the colony, then there has been fragmentation.
Several other natural fragmentation mechanisms exist in plants. Production of highly specialized reproductive structures: On their leaves, a few plants produce adventitious plantlets that fall off and form independent plants, for example. Tolmieamenziesii and daigremontianakalanchoe. Others make organs such as bulbils and turions. Parts that have high potential to grow into a complete plant are easily lost: some woody plants like the willow shed twigs naturally.
This is known as cladoptosis. The lost twigs may form the roots for the establishment of a new plant in an appropriate environment. River currents often destroy branch fragments of certain species of cottonwood growing on the banks of the river.
Fragments can root and establish new plants that reach suitable environments. Some cactus and other plants have stems joined together. It can root and form a new plant when a stem segment, called a pad, falls off.
Some plant leave root readily when falling off, e. Echeveria and Sedum. In non - vascular plants, for example, fragmentation is also observed in liverworts and mosses. Small pieces of "strains" or "leaves" of moss are often dispersed by wind, water, or animals. If a fragment of the moose reaches an appropriate environment, it can create a new plant.
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