In the context of natural selection, which term describes the value of an animal as a parent, measured by its relative contribution of viable offspring to the next generation?

• A. Carrying capacity
• B. Fitness
• C. Genetic drift
• D. Homeostasis

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the question is asking for a term related to natural selection that measures an animal's success in passing on its genes to the next generation.
2. Recall that 'carrying capacity' refers to the maximum population size an environment can sustain, which is unrelated to individual reproductive success.
3. Recognize that 'genetic drift' is a random change in allele frequencies in a population, not a measure of an individual's reproductive contribution.
4. Know that 'homeostasis' describes the maintenance of stable internal conditions in an organism, not related to reproduction or offspring.
5. Identify that 'fitness' in evolutionary biology specifically refers to an individual's relative ability to survive and reproduce, contributing viable offspring to the next generation.