Which term describes a heritable trait that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce?

Which term describes a heritable trait that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce?

• A. Pedigree
• B. Adaptation
• C. Natural Selection
• D. Homologous Structures

Answer: (B)

An adaptation is a heritable trait that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment. Because it can be passed to offspring, and if it boosts fitness, individuals with the trait tend to leave more offspring. Over generations, natural selection increases the frequency of such advantageous traits, making adaptation the best description of the concept in this question. Pedigree is simply a family tree used to study inheritance, not a trait. Natural selection is the process that changes trait frequencies, not the trait itself. Homologous structures are anatomical features with shared ancestry, illustrating relatedness rather than a trait that directly boosts survival and reproduction.

An adaptation is a heritable trait that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment. Because it can be passed to offspring, and if it boosts fitness, individuals with the trait tend to leave more offspring. Over generations, natural selection increases the frequency of such advantageous traits, making adaptation the best description of the concept in this question. Pedigree is simply a family tree used to study inheritance, not a trait. Natural selection is the process that changes trait frequencies, not the trait itself. Homologous structures are anatomical features with shared ancestry, illustrating relatedness rather than a trait that directly boosts survival and reproduction.