Biology / Unit 8 Bio 1769 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Fitness and Relative Fitness
Captions available
The idea
Fitness is an individual's genetic contribution to the next generation; relative fitness compares that against others in the same population, not any absolute standard.
In practice
An individual whose offspring survive and reproduce better than the population average has higher relative fitness, whatever its absolute output.
Where people slip
Relative fitness is comparative within one population — the same individual could have a different value elsewhere.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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