How does asexual reproduction, as seen in the division of a single bacterium, lead to the generation of very similar individuals in the absence of sexual reproduction?

Asexual reproduction, such as the division of a single bacterium through binary fission, leads to the generation of very similar individuals because it involves the direct replication of genetic material without genetic recombination. In binary fission, the bacterial cell’s DNA is duplicated, and the cell divides into two identical daughter cells. Since there is no exchange of genetic material between different individuals, the offspring inherit the exact genetic information of the parent cell. This lack of genetic diversity results in the production of highly similar individuals, ensuring the preservation of the parent organism’s traits in the absence of sexual reproduction.