Which process is described as resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to their environment?

The process where evolution occurs through the adaptation of organisms best suited to their environment is known as natural selection. This mechanism operates on the principle that individuals with traits that provide a survival or reproductive advantage in a specific environment are more likely to pass those traits on to the next generation. Over time, this leads to a higher frequency of advantageous traits within a population, facilitating adaptation to environmental changes.

Natural selection is a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, as it explains the diverse forms of life and how they have evolved according to varying environmental pressures. The traits that are favored can vary based on environmental factors, leading to a dynamic process of change in populations over generations. This contrasts with other processes such as artificial selection, where humans actively choose specific traits, or genetic drift, which refers to random changes in gene frequencies that can occur in populations. Understanding natural selection is vital for comprehending how species adapt and evolve over time in response to their surroundings.