Fitness and Natural Selection When it comes to natural selection fitness refers to the ability of an organism to pass its genetic information on to the next generation by surviving, finding a mate,and producing offspring Individuals that are well-adapted to their environments survive and reproduce more successfully than others. These well adapted individuals have higher fitness. One way to increase fitness is to attract a mate better than other individuals with songs, courtship dances,and attractive feathers and plumage. 2. How do this male peacock's feathers increase his fitness?

## Step 1<br />The problem is about the concept of natural selection and fitness in biology. Fitness, in this context, refers to an organism's ability to pass on its genetic information to the next generation. This is achieved through survival, finding a mate, and producing offspring.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The problem specifically focuses on the role of physical traits, such as the male peacock's feathers, in increasing fitness. These physical traits can enhance an organism's ability to attract a mate, which in turn increases its fitness.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The male peacock's feathers are a prime example of this. They are used to attract a mate, which increases the peacock's fitness. The more attractive the peacock's feathers are, the more likely it is to attract a mate, and thus the more likely it is to pass on its genetic information to the next generation.