Imagine that you and a friend are observing children playing at a playground.The children are varied sizes,have different hair colour,and temperaments.Your friend asks you to guess which one of the children is most "fit" according to natural selection theory.Which of the following would be the most appropriate answer?
A) the largest child
B) there is no way of knowing until the children grow up and you see how many children each has
C) the most attractive child
D) they are all of equal fitness

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Fitness, in the context of evolutionary biology, refers to an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment. The true measure of an individual's fitness according to natural selection theory is how many offspring they produce that also survive to reproduce. Observable characteristics such as size, hair color, or temperament at childhood do not directly determine fitness. Fitness can only be accurately assessed by looking at an individual's reproductive success over their lifetime.

Imagine That You and a Friend Are Observing Children Playing