What process involves the formation of new individuals from parental organisms?

Reproduction is the process through which new individuals are formed from parental organisms. This biological mechanism ensures the continuation of a species by producing offspring. Reproduction can occur in various forms, including asexual reproduction, where a single organism gives rise to offspring genetically identical to itself, and sexual reproduction, which involves the combination of genetic materials from two parents.

In contrast, fertilization specifically refers to the union of male and female gametes, leading to the formation of a zygote, which is just one stage within the broader process of reproduction. Genetic drift is a concept related to evolution that describes changes in allele frequencies in a population due to random sampling effects, not an individual reproductive process. Segregation refers to the separation of alleles during gamete formation, which is a mechanism of inheritance that occurs during sexual reproduction, rather than the actual process of creating new individuals. Thus, reproduction is the overarching term that encompasses all methods of producing new life from existing organisms.