Is the fitness of a phenotype dependent on the environment in which it is found?

Is the fitness of a phenotype dependent on the environment in which it is found?Is the fitness of a phenotype dependent on the environment in which it is found?Yes.



The 'fitness' of any characteristic (expressed as a phenotype) is dependent on the environment the organism is living in.



For example, a phenotype of a tall, long body may be advantageous on an open savannah - where it may contribute to the fitness of an individual that possesses that trait - the same characteristic could be horribly disadvantageous for a burrowing animal.



A poikilothermic metabolism could be very disadvantageous in an Arctic, tundra environment - as the organism would soon freeze to death, but it might be a tremendous advantage in a stable, tropical environment where the organism doesn't have to expend metabolic energy.

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