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Multiple Choice
What term quantifies the reproductive success of a phenotype in the context of natural selection?
A
Adaptation
B
Speciation
C
Fitness
D
Mutation
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of natural selection: Natural selection is a process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. It is a key mechanism of evolution.
Define reproductive success: Reproductive success refers to the ability of an organism to pass on its genes to the next generation, often measured by the number of offspring that survive to reproduce themselves.
Identify the term 'fitness': In the context of natural selection, 'fitness' quantifies the reproductive success of a phenotype. It is a measure of how well an organism can survive and reproduce in its environment.
Differentiate between related terms: Adaptation refers to a trait that increases an organism's fitness, speciation is the formation of new and distinct species, and mutation is a change in the DNA sequence. These terms are related but distinct from 'fitness'.
Conclude with the importance of fitness: Fitness is central to the theory of natural selection because it directly influences which traits become more common in a population over time.