Which characteristic of life is not essential to the survival of an individual organism

the answer is reproduction

The correct answer will be-reproduction.

Explanation:

Biologist tried to distinguish the living organisms from non-living beings and suggest eight characteristic features of life: cellular, metabolism, heredity material reproduction, homeostasis, sensitivity, growth and development.

The characteristic which is not essential for the individual organism is a reproduction as it produces offspring to maintain the continuity of species, not individual.

An individual organism can remain sterile that is does not produce offspring but can survive. Since the reproduction benefited at the species level and not individual level therefore reproduction is the correct answer.