Offspring are produced by combining genetic material from two parents.
Gamete cells unite and fuse to cause fertilization.
In humans, the male sperm (23 chromosomes) and the egg (23 chromosomes) unite to create a zygote, or a fertilized egg (46 chromosomes).
The offspring are not clones because they get DNA from both parents.
There is greater genetic variation and diversity in sexual reproduction.
Most undesirable diseases, disorders, and genes will be eliminated through natural selection and select breeding.
It takes more energy and time than asexual reproduction .
Asexual Reproduction
Offspring are produced from one organism, and inherit the genes from that parent only.
The advantage to asexual reproduction is that it is more efficient.
Many offspring can be produced very quickly.
The offspring are genetic clones.
One disadvantage to asexual reproduction is that a negative mutation will be replicated many times.
One example of asexual reproduction is binary fission, where an organism duplicates its genetic material and then divides into two new bodies, with each new organism receiving one copy of DNA.
Another example of asexual reproduction is budding. This is where new organisms develop from other organisms outgrowth or bud.