Final answer:
Fern reproduction differs from human reproduction in that ferns use both sexual and asexual reproduction, with a life cycle that involves alternating between haploid and diploid stages unlike the strictly diploid human lifecycle. Therefore, the correct option is A.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fern reproduction is different from human reproduction mainly because ferns use both sexual and asexual reproduction methods. In the life cycle of a fern, alternation of generations occurs, which involves a shift between a diploid sporophyte stage and a haploid gametophyte stage. Also, unlike human reproduction, which involves the joining of sperm and egg cells within the body or artificial insemination, ferns can release their sperm and eggs into the environment where fertilization occurs externally.
In terms of sexual reproduction, ferns produce haploid spores that grow into a gametophyte, which then produces gametes. These gametes can fuse during fertilization to form a new diploid sporophyte. This shift between haploid and diploid stages is a key difference with human reproduction, as humans produce gametes with half the chromosome number of body cells through meiosis, and a new individual develops after the fusion of two of these haploid gametes (one from each parent) into a diploid zygote.