Fitness- Module 3.1

 

    I would describe fitness as the capability for organisms to pass on particular genotypes to their offspring; it measures both survival and reproduction. Generally, as fitness increases so does the chance for the offspring to live longer. Fitness is relative and can be based on specific situations/circumstances. One item that plays a role in fitness in the environment of the organism. The environment can impact which alleles are best fit for survival. Natural selection also plays a role, as it results in varying reproductive and survival frequencies.

    For my example, I will compare red foxes. I would take into consideration which foxes reproduce, and how many offspring each has. This would account for an aspect of fitness which has to do with mating and reproducing. The second main thing to consider would be their coat coloring. Even though red is the most common, they have some variation in their coats such as dark brown, black, or even lighter colors. This is where the environment becomes a factor. Depending on its habitat, a fox of a specific coat color could have higher fitness since it could camouflage with its habitat to increase its chances of survival. Let’s consider a forest in the autumn with many trees. A red fox could easily blend in with the warm-toned leaves. However, if a red fox was albino, it would not be able to blend in with its habitat. Its chances of survival would decrease. So, I would measure its offspring production, as well as ability to survive based on genotypes. 

A red fox can easily camouflage in a forest.

It is much harder for an albino fox to camouflage in its habitat.

    Not only does the ability to pass on genes count towards fitness, adaptation to an organism’s habitat is also an important factor.  This is what makes fitness relative- a change in the environment can impact if an organism’s gene are the best fit for its survival.