What is the role of meiosis in organisms?

Meiosis plays a crucial role in sexual reproduction by creating gametes, which are the reproductive cells (sperm and eggs) in many organisms. During meiosis, the process involves two rounds of cell division that ultimately reduce the chromosome number by half. This reduction is essential because it ensures that when sperm and egg unite during fertilization, the resulting offspring have the correct diploid number of chromosomes, maintaining the species' genetic continuity over generations.

Furthermore, meiosis introduces genetic diversity through processes such as crossing over and independent assortment of chromosomes. These mechanisms shuffle genetic material, leading to offspring that are genetically distinct from both parents, which is vital for evolution and adaptation in changing environments.

In contrast to the other options, somatic cells, which are involved in growth and tissue repair, are produced through mitosis rather than meiosis. Asexual reproduction does not require meiosis, as it involves cloning of the parent organism, leading to genetically identical offspring. Lastly, while meiosis does involve the duplication of chromosomes before the first division, its primary function is not to prepare for mitosis, but rather to form haploid cells in the context of sexual reproduction.