What describes the concept of natural selection?

Natural selection is a fundamental mechanism of evolution that describes how certain traits become more or less common in a population over time. The concept emphasizes that organisms that are better adapted to their environments are more likely to survive and reproduce. This means that advantageous traits increase an individual's chances of surviving in their specific habitat, allowing them to pass those traits on to their offspring. Over generations, this leads to the gradual evolution of species as these favorable characteristics become more prevalent within the population.

The idea is rooted in the observation of variations within species, where some traits provide a competitive edge in terms of survival and reproduction. The result is not only the survival of the fittest (those individuals best suited for their environment) but also the gradual adaptation of the entire species to changing conditions over time, driven by natural selection's influence on reproductive success.