Final answer:
Sexual reproduction is prevalent because it increases genetic variation, which is crucial for species' adaptability and survival. The process of meiosis during sexual reproduction promotes this variation by reshuffling genes, providing evolutionary advantages over asexual reproduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question addresses why sexual reproduction evolved and became far more prevalent than asexual reproduction despite asexual reproduction's potential advantages like not requiring a mate and the ability for every individual to reproduce. However, sexual reproduction is so common because it introduces genetic variation, which is critical for the survival and adaptability of species. This variation arises from mutations and is greatly enhanced by the reshuffling of genes during meiosis, specifically during crossover events in prophase I and random assortment during metaphase I. Additionally, the combination of gametes from different parents during fertilization increases genetic diversity within a population, which allows sexually reproducing organisms to adapt to changing environments and evolve over time, providing them with a significant evolutionary advantage over asexually reproducing organisms.