What is the process by which individuals most suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce?

Natural selection is the process whereby individuals that possess traits advantageous for survival and reproduction in their specific environments are more likely to thrive and pass those traits on to the next generation. Over time, this leads to a gradual adaptation of species to their environments as beneficial traits become more common within the population.

This mechanism operates on the principle that variations within a species can affect an individual's ability to survive and reproduce. For instance, faster animals may escape predators more easily, while those with better camouflage may avoid detection. As these traits contribute to increased survival rates, they become more prevalent in the population.

In contrast, genetic drift refers to random changes in trait frequencies within a population, which can occur due to chance rather than selection pressures. Mutation involves changes in an organism's genetic code, introducing new traits, but not all mutations are beneficial or lead to increased survival. Artificial selection is deliberate breeding for specific traits by humans, which differs from the natural processes that shape adaptations in wild populations. Each of these processes plays a role in evolution, but natural selection specifically emphasizes the survival and reproductive successes of individuals best suited to their environment.