Reproductive fitness, also known as Darwinian fitness or simply fitness in evolutionary

biology, refers to an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment, thereby
passing its genes to the next generation. It's a central concept in evolutionary theory, as it
underlies natural selection, the driving force behind evolution.

An organism's reproductive fitness is determined by its success in producing viable offspring

that can also reproduce and pass on their genes. This success is influenced by various factors,
including:

1. Survival to Reproductive Age: An organism must survive long enough to reach

reproductive age and produce offspring.
2. Fecundity: The number of offspring an organism produces during its reproductive
lifespan contributes to its fitness. Organisms that produce more offspring generally
have higher fitness, assuming those offspring also survive and reproduce.
3. Offspring Viability: The ability of offspring to survive and reproduce themselves is
crucial for the reproductive fitness of the parent organism. Offspring with traits that
increase their chances of survival and reproduction contribute positively to the
parent's fitness.
4. Mate Attraction and Success: Securing mates and successfully reproducing with
them is essential for reproductive fitness, particularly in sexually reproducing species.
Traits that increase an organism's attractiveness to potential mates or its ability to
compete for mates can enhance its fitness.
5. Environmental Adaptation: Fitness is also influenced by an organism's ability to
adapt to its environment. Traits that improve an organism's ability to acquire
resources, avoid predators, and withstand environmental challenges contribute to its
fitness.

Fitness is a relative measure; it's determined by how well an organism's traits enable it to
survive and reproduce compared to other individuals in the same population or species. Over
time, natural selection acts on heritable variation within populations, favoring traits that
enhance reproductive fitness and leading to evolutionary change.