What do you mean by reproduction? Describe various modes of reproduction.

Reproduction is an important process which is responsible for the continuity of life on the planet earth. In this process, an individual produces young ones of the same species. It helps in increasing the population of the same species on the earth, generation after generation. This is the fundamental feature which ensures the existence of all life forms on the earth. There are two modes of reproduction:

(i) Sexual reproduction: In this type of reproduction, both male and female parents are involved and they produce different gametes called male gametes or sperms and female gametes or ova (egg) respectively. Both fuse to form zygote which finally develop into foetus. For example, mammals including human beings higher invertebrates and all vertebrates undergo sexual reproduction.

(ii) Asexual reproduction: In this type of reproduction, only single parent is involved and gametes or sex cells are not produced. Budding, binary fission, etc., are different methods of asexual reproduction. Lower organisms like Hydra, Amoeba, yeast, etc., undergo asexual reproduction.