Skip to content

We may consequently state the fundamental theorem of…

“We may consequently state the fundamental theorem of Natural Selection in the form: The rate of increase in fitness of any organism at any time is equal to its genetic variance in fitness at that time.” quote by Ronald Fisher
Download Open image
“We may consequently state the fundamental theorem of Natural Selection in the form: The rate of increase in fitness of any organism at any time is equal to its genetic variance in fitness at that time.”

Ronald Fisher

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Fitness rises proportionally to how much genetic variation exists in a population at a given moment.

In simple terms: More genetic variation means faster fitness improvement.

Key Takeaway

Preserve genetic diversity.

Themes

evolution genetics population dynamics

Mood

analytical objective

Type

scientific educational

When to use this quote

  • conservation breeding
  • crop improvement
  • medical genetics
  • environmental change

Key Concepts

natural selection genetic variance fitness landscape

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does maintaining diversity affect long‑term adaptation?
  • What limits the rate of fitness increase?
A Different Perspective

Assumes additive genetic effects and ignores epistasis.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Ronald Fisher

Explore all 45 Ronald Fisher quotes

More Biology quotes

Browse all 3,034 Biology quotes