Variety may well be the spice of sexual evolution that encourages a move away from asexual reproduction, according to a study from the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada.

The study shows that a species of rotifer that reproduces both sexually and asexually, Brachionus calyciflorus, opts for sexual reproduction more often in varied habitats than in homogeneous settings, suggesting that varied surroundings may have contributed to the evolution of sex.