# Reproduction --- **Reproduction** is a process where a new [[cell]] or organism is created. This can be done either sexually or asexually. Sexual reproduction is much more complicated, and has it's own organ system to carry it out: the [[reproductive system]] ## Sexual Reproduction **Sexual reproduction** is reproduction where two individuals combine their genetic material by each producing [[gamete|gametes]] by the process of [[meiosis]] and then fertilizing them. **Why reproduce sexually?** Frankly, sexual reproduction is very complicated, and prone to errors. What is the evolutionary advantage of this method of reproduction? There are several theories. >[!abstract] Theory **The purifying selection theory**, also refered to as **negative selection** referes to the removal of deleterious variations. This is opposed to "positive selection", which fixes benificial varitions in the population. >[!abstract] Theory >**The changing environment theory** is that, as sexual reproduction provides a wide range of genetic diversity, the offspring has a better ability to adapt to rapidly changing environments. ## Asexual Reproduction **Asexual reproduction** is the method of reproduction where a single organism can generate offspring by themselves. Some eukaryotes achieve asexual reproduciton simply by undergoing [[mitosis]], where prokaryotes can use a process called [[bacteria|binary fission]]. ___