Sexual reproduction provides for variety and new combinations of genes. Especially if the environment is changing, this is an advantage for the organism.
Sexual reproduction means that genetic material from two parents is combined so that the offspring are usually different from either parent. Just by chance, sometimes these new combinations of genes will be beneficial, and sometimes not. When the environment is changing, there is a chance that the new combinations will allow the offspring to survive better than either parent.
Asexual reproduction is when identical cells to the parent are produced. If the organism is already well-adapted to an unchanging environment this is a good reproductive strategy. For example, bacteria can produce more identical bacteria and continue to thrive when conditions are favorable. Plants can produce shoots that are identical to the main part of the plant, and they do so when the environment is favorable. But at the end of a growing season when conditions are changing, they may reproduce sexually by producing seeds--combining genes from two different plants, which may produce offspring that are better adapted to the changing environment.
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