3.7 Fitness

• What is the primary measure of fitness in biology?

  Reproductive success
• Natural selection favors individuals with traits that enhance their fitness
• Organisms must be well-suited to their environment to thrive.
• What is the effect of beneficial mutations on fitness?

  Increases genetic diversity
• Fitness is closely related to cellular energetics and environmental conditions.
• Deleterious mutations always improve fitness.

  False
• Beneficial adaptations encoded in genes can improve survival and reproductive success.

  True
• Fitness is unrelated to cellular energetics.

  False
• Which environmental stresses can influence survival and thus fitness?

  Predators, disease, climate
• Genetic diversity is crucial for adapting to changing environmental conditions.

  True
• Match the genetic factor with its impact on fitness:

  Genetic Diversity ↔️ Adaptation to changing environments

  Beneficial Adaptations ↔️ Improve survival and reproduction

  Deleterious Mutations ↔️ Reduce adaptability and survival
• What role does cellular energetics play in fitness?

  Affects survival and reproduction
• Why is genetic diversity within a population crucial for survival?

  Adapting to changing environments
• Beneficial adaptations can enhance fitness by improving survival and reproductive success
• Steps in the process of natural selection

  1️⃣ Genetic diversity within a population

  2️⃣ Beneficial adaptations arise

  3️⃣ Deleterious mutations decrease fitness

  4️⃣ Natural selection favors advantageous traits
• What is the genetic basis of fitness in organisms?

  Genes and genetic variation
• Mutations can introduce new beneficial traits, further increasing genetic diversity and fitness
• Genetic diversity provides a wider range of traits for organisms to adapt to changing environments.


  True
• Why is genetic diversity within a population crucial for adaptation?

  Provides a wider range of traits
• Beneficial adaptations encoded in genes can enhance fitness by improving survival and reproductive success
• The genetic makeup of an organism is a key determinant of its fitness.


  True
• Match the genetic factor with its impact on fitness:

  Genetic Diversity ↔️ Adapting to changing environments

  Beneficial Adaptations ↔️ Improve survival and reproduction

  Beneficial Mutations ↔️ Introduce new advantageous traits

  Deleterious Mutations ↔️ Reduce adaptability
• Survival is a key factor in determining an organism's fitness.


  True
• Natural selection promotes traits that enhance survival and reproductive success
• Stronger beaks in birds, which improve food availability, are an example of an adaptation that enhances fitness.


  True
• What is the biological definition of fitness?

  Survive and reproduce
• Fitness is closely related to environmental conditions and cellular energetics
• Match the fitness factor with its importance:

  Survival ↔️ Reaching reproductive age

  Reproduction ↔️ Passing on genes

  Cellular Energetics ↔️ Affects survival and reproduction

  Environmental Conditions ↔️ Adaptation to habitat
• Natural selection favors individuals with traits that enhance their fitness.

  True
• What is the role of genetic diversity in a population's ability to adapt?

  Wider range of traits
• How do deleterious mutations affect an organism's fitness?

  Reduce survival and adaptability
• Deleterious mutations can reduce an organism's fitness and adaptability.


  True
• What is an example of a beneficial adaptation encoded in an organism's genes?

  Disease resistance
• Match the genetic factor with its impact on fitness:

  Genetic Diversity ↔️ Adapt to changing environments

  Beneficial Adaptations ↔️ Improve survival and reproduction
• Fitness directly influences the process of natural selection.


  True
• The relationship between fitness and natural selection drives the adaptation and evolution
• Survival rate measures the ability to stay alive, while fitness also considers reproduction.


  True
• In biology, fitness is defined as an organism's ability to survive and reproduce
• Match the factor with its importance in fitness:

  Survival ↔️ Crucial for reaching reproductive age

  Reproduction ↔️ Determines contribution to future generations
• What is the effect of deleterious mutations on fitness?

  Reduces adaptability and survival