What are the respective functions of the separation of homologous chromosomes and of the separation of identical chromatids in meiosis?
The separation of homologous chromosomes in meiosis I has two main functions: to decrease to a half the total number of chromosomes, generating haploid daughter cells at the end of the process, and to make possible genetic recombination as the separation is aleatory, i.e., each pair of daughter cells can be dissimilar from the other pair relating chromosomal combination from paternal and maternal origins. (And if crossing over is considered each of the four resulting cells can be dissimilar from the others.)