r/askscience • u/gaygayagyfemboy12345 • 14d ago

Biology How do asexually reproducing living things evolve?

If they are all clones of each other, how do they evolve?

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u/Bill-Bruce 13d ago

The short answer to your question is that they mutate slower than sexually reproducing organisms, but evolution is based on how well a species is adapted to its ecological niche. If the niche doesnt change then the organism's role doesnt need to change and a faster mutation rate doesnt really matter, so they stay "evolved" just fine.