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natural selection

differential survival and reproduction of individuals in nature due to differences in phenotype; a key mechanism of evolution

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Natural selection is the process where individuals with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those advantageous traits to their offspring. This mechanism is fundamental to how evolution works, explaining how species change and adapt over time.

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Commons category: Natural selection

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A diagram demonstrating mutation and selection

Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in the relative fitness endowed on them by their own particular complement of observable characteristics. It is a key law or mechanism of evolution which changes the heritable traits characteristic of a population or species over generations. Charles Darwin popularised the term "natural selection", contrasting it with artificial selection, which is intentional, whereas natural selection is not.