Sexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction requires Meiosis or the mix-up of both maternal and paternal genetic material. This happens when the male gamete(sperm) and the female gamete(egg) fuse to create a zygote. This process is required in order to adapt to new environments (e.g. rapidly changing habitat, foreign diseases etc.) through genetic diversity, as those with more favourable characteristics survive and pass them on in their offspring. Also there is a less chance that those with a genetic disorder or disability will be able to pass it on to their offspring, as these may be recessive alleles and the offspring may only be carriers or be destroyed through genetic death, whereas if they reproduced asexually, the genetic disorder will almost definately be passed on, as all organisms that reproduce asexually are identical, or clones of one another. These benefits are only available when there is enough population of the organism though. If there is a limited amount of mates then the gene pool is also limited so there is less genetic diversity and ability to adapt to new environments.
Asexual Reproduction
Asexual reproduction is the process of creating identical copies or "clones" of an organism though Mitosis, Meiosis or Binary fission. They are identical because the genetic material or DNA is replicated creating two identical daughters. Unlike sexual reproduction, asexual organisms do not require a mate which is one of its benefits as even if there is a shortage in the population, one individual can replicate itself over and over again and does not spend energy looking for a mate. A large number of offspring can also be created in a shorter period of time due to the shorter process of reproduction which can out-compete other organisms for resources. Artificial asexual reproduction is very beneficial in order to replicate organisms with favoured traits, such as the cuttings of a particular fruit tree that produces better/more fruit than others of its species. Some organisms can reproduce sexually and asexually depending on the number of mates available such as aphids, these animals may well have the benefits of both asexual and sexual reproduction.
