Reproduction in Living Organisms

Study Notes

Reproduction is the process by which living organisms form new individuals, distinguishing living things from non-living things.
Reproduction is essential for species perpetuation; without it, species would die out.
Reproduction is classified into asexual (single parent) and sexual (two parents) reproduction.
Asexual reproduction creates offspring identical to the parent, common in unicellular organisms, fungi, animals like starfish, and plants like potatoes.
Advantages of asexual reproduction include not needing a partner, less energy, and short reproduction time, but it lacks genetic variation.
Disadvantages of asexual reproduction include inheriting parent weaknesses and susceptibility to diseases.
Types of asexual reproduction include fission, budding, spore formation, fragmentation, and regeneration.
Sexual reproduction involves two parents (male and female), creating offspring with a mix of traits from both parents.
Animals, flowering plants, and fungi reproduce sexually, creating genetic variation for better adaptation.
Sexual reproduction requires more energy and a partner, leading to slower reproduction rates than asexual reproduction.
Two types of fertilization in animals are external (sperm and egg released into the environment) and internal (sperm deposited directly into the female's body).
Mammals, including humans, reproduce through internal fertilization.

Description

Learn about the process of reproduction, essential for species perpetuation, classified into asexual and sexual types. Explore advantages and disadvantages of asexual reproduction and the genetic variation brought by sexual reproduction. Understand different methods of asexual reproduction and fertilization in animals.