Which term describes an organism's ability to successfully pass on its genetic material?

The term that describes an organism's ability to successfully pass on its genetic material is fitness. In biological terms, fitness refers to an organism's reproductive success, meaning how well it can contribute to the gene pool of the next generation. This encompasses not just survival but also how effectively an organism can attract mates, produce offspring, and ensure that those offspring survive to maturity.

By focusing on reproductive success, fitness highlights the importance of adaptations that improve an organism's chances of surviving and reproducing in its specific environment. It is a critical concept in understanding natural selection, as organisms with higher fitness are more likely to pass on their advantageous traits to future generations, leading to evolutionary changes over time.

In this context, longevity, adaptation, and survival are related but do not specifically encapsulate the ability to transmit genetic material. Longevity refers to the lifespan of an organism, adaptation involves changes in traits that enhance survival in changing environments, and survival indicates the ability to live long enough to reproduce. However, it is fitness that conveys the direct ability to ensure the passing on of genetic information.