<P> Reproduction (or procreation or breeding) is the biological process by which new individual organisms--"offspring"--are produced from their "parents". Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; each individual organism exists as the result of reproduction . There are two forms of reproduction: asexual and sexual . </P> <P> In asexual reproduction, an organism can reproduce without the involvement of another organism . Asexual reproduction is not limited to single - celled organisms . The cloning of an organism is a form of asexual reproduction . By asexual reproduction, an organism creates a genetically similar or identical copy of itself . The evolution of sexual reproduction is a major puzzle for biologists . The two-fold cost of sexual reproduction is that only 50% of organisms reproduce and organisms only pass on 50% of their genes . </P> <P> Sexual reproduction typically requires the sexual interaction of two specialized organisms, called gametes, which contain half the number of chromosomes of normal cells and are created by meiosis, with typically a male fertilizing a female of the same species to create a fertilized zygote . This produces offspring organisms whose genetic characteristics are derived from those of the two parental organisms . </P> <P> Asexual reproduction is a process by which organisms create genetically similar or identical copies of themselves without the contribution of genetic material from another organism . Bacteria divide asexually via binary fission; viruses take control of host cells to produce more viruses; Hydras (invertebrates of the order Hydroidea) and yeasts are able to reproduce by budding . These organisms often do not possess different sexes, and they are capable of "splitting" themselves into two or more copies of themselves . Most plants have the ability to reproduce asexually and the ant species Mycocepurus smithii is thought to reproduce entirely by asexual means . </P>

What are four ways that organisms reproduce asexually