Which process describes how organisms adapt to their environment over time?

Natural selection is the process that describes how organisms adapt to their environment over time. It is based on the principle that individuals with traits that are advantageous for survival and reproduction in a given environment are more likely to pass those traits on to the next generation. Over many generations, this gradual process can lead to significant changes in a population's traits, enhancing their ability to thrive in their specific environment.

In contrast, genetic mutation refers to the random changes in an organism's DNA, which can introduce new traits. However, not all mutations will result in beneficial adaptations; many may be neutral or even detrimental. Artificial selection involves human intervention in the breeding process, selecting specific traits for desired outcomes, which does not reflect the natural adaptive processes occurring in wild populations. Environmental adaptation is a broader term that can describe many processes by which organisms adjust to their surroundings but does not specifically encapsulate the evolutionary mechanism of adaptation driven by differential survival and reproduction that characterizes natural selection.