What is natural selection?

Natural selection is the process through which organisms that are better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more effectively than those that are less suited to their surroundings. This mechanism is fundamental to the theory of evolution and explains how species change over time.

In this process, traits that enhance survival and reproductive success become more common in a population, while less advantageous traits may diminish. Over generations, this leads to a gradual adaptation of species to their habitats, shaped by aspects like competition for resources, predation, and environmental changes. The variation among individuals, some of which may offer advantages, is critical to natural selection's functioning.

This explanation highlights why the other choices do not accurately capture the essence of natural selection. Breeding organisms with specific traits refers to artificial selection, the equal likelihood of reproduction across all organisms misrepresents competitive dynamics, and the idea of organisms evolving at a constant rate does not reflect the variability and unpredictability inherent to evolutionary processes influenced by natural selection.