Fecundity
Fecundity, derived from the word
fecund, generally refers to the ability to reproduce. In demography, fecundity is the
potential reproductive capacity of an individual or population. In biology, the definition is more equivalent to fertility, or the
actual reproductive rate of an organism or population, measured by the number of gametes, seed set, or asexual propagules. This difference is because demography considers
human fecundity which is often intentionally limited through contraception, while biology assumes that organisms do not limit fertility. Fecundity is under both genetic and environmental control, and is the major measure of fitness.
Fecundation is another term for fertilization.
Superfecundity refers to an organism's ability to store another organism's sperm and fertilize its own eggs from that store after a period of time, essentially making it appear as though fertilization occurred without sperm. Fecundity is important and well studied in the field of population ecology. Fecundity can increase or decrease in a population according to current conditions and certain regulating factors.