Final answer:
The members of a population surviving long enough to reproduce align with the concept of fitness and survival of the fittest in natural selection, leading to a population well adapted to its environment over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Members of a population that live long enough to reproduce are consistent with the concept of fitness and survival of the fittest, which are central to the theory of natural selection.
According to this principle, the individuals within a population that are more suited to the environment due to their genetic traits are more likely to survive and reproduce. These traits are then passed on to the next generation, ultimately leading to a population that is increasingly well adapted to its environment over time.
Such adaptations may include the development of life history strategies that dictate how energy is used for growth, maintenance, and reproduction. These strategies are shaped through natural selection and enable species to maximize their reproductive success in their particular habitats, whether it involves early reproduction for survivability or later reproduction for better offspring vitality and parental care.