Fitness

In evolutionary biology, '''fitness''' is an individual's ability to propagate its genes. It is a measure how good an organism or species is [[Adaptation|adapted]] to its environment. Charles Darwin used the verb "fit" synonymously with "adapt", and the adjective "fitted" with "adapted" or "suitable" (Keller and Lloyd, 1992). Fitness in general describes the ability to both survive and reproduce, and can be mesaure in evolutionary systems as survival period or offspring production in a particular environment.


== Links ==

see also 

* Wikipedia Entry for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitness http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitness_%28biology%29]

== References ==

* Evelyn Fox Keller and Elisabeth A. Lloyd, "Keywords in Evolutionary Biology", Harvard University Press, 1992

[[Category:Basic Principles]] [[Category:Evolutionary Principles]]