What type of reproduction does not involve gametes or fertilization?

Asexual reproduction is characterized by the production of offspring without the involvement of gametes or fertilization. In this mode of reproduction, a single organism can produce new individuals that are genetically identical to itself. The processes involved in asexual reproduction can include methods such as budding, fragmentation, or vegetative propagation. Because it does not require the transfer of genetic material between two distinct gametes, asexual reproduction facilitates rapid population growth and can be advantageous in stable environments where adaptation is not immediately necessary.

Binary fission, while it falls under asexual reproduction and is certainly an example of it, refers specifically to a method of division in unicellular organisms, like bacteria. Gene transfer, on the other hand, usually implies some sort of exchange or transfer of genetic material, which may involve gametes in sexual reproduction. Therefore, asexual reproduction is the broad category that encompasses these concepts while distinctly not involving gametes or fertilization.