1. Define fitness as it used to describe adaptation (11.3).

Ans.

Fitness can be described as the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment. Adaptation can be defined as the process, by which organisms acquire useful traits that make them better suited to their environment.

Generally, adaptations lead to increase in fitness of organisms (or make them fit) that leads to increase in their survival chances. When organisms become able to adapt the new, changing environment, they are better able to live and reproduce.

Thus, fitness and adaptations are related to each other.

If an organism is fit it is able to adapt to its environment in order to survive, if it is unfit, it cannot adapt and will die