The term used to describe a type of reproduction that involves only one parent is asexual reproduction. In this process, an organism can reproduce without the involvement of gametes or the fusion of nuclei. Methods of asexual reproduction include binary fission, budding, and vegetative propagation, commonly seen in organisms like bacteria, yeast, and certain plants. While asexual reproduction allows for rapid population growth, it reduces genetic diversity, making populations more vulnerable to environmental changes and diseases.