evolutionary fitness

Evolutionary fitness refers to an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce in its environment. It measures how successful an individual is at passing its genes to the next generation. A higher fitness means the organism is better adapted, with traits that improve its chances of survival and reproduction. Fitness isn't just about strength or speed; it also includes flexibility to changing conditions and reproductive success. Over time, traits that increase fitness become more common in a population, shaping the evolution of species.