What is the process by which organisms with favorable genes are more likely to survive and reproduce?

The process by which organisms with favorable genes are more likely to survive and reproduce is known as natural selection. It is a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology and was first described by Charles Darwin in his book "On the Origin of Species".

Here is a breakdown of the process of natural selection:

1. Variation: Within a population, there is genetic variation, which means that individuals differ in their traits. These differences can be due to mutations, genetic recombination, or other mechanisms.

2. Differential Survival and Reproduction: Certain traits may provide advantages in terms of survival and reproduction in a particular environment. For example, in a cold climate, individuals with thick fur might have a higher chance of surviving and producing offspring.

3. Fitness: The term fitness refers to the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in a given environment. Organisms with traits that enhance their fitness are said to have higher fitness.

4. Selection: Over time, individuals with higher fitness are more likely to survive and produce offspring. This means that the favorable genes associated with those traits become more common in the population.

5. Adaptation: As natural selection acts on a population over multiple generations, it can lead to the evolution of adaptations, which are traits that increase an organism's fitness in a specific environment.

Natural selection is not a goal-oriented process; it is driven by the interaction between the genetic variation in a population and the environmental factors that influence survival and reproduction. As the environment changes, so too can the selective pressures, leading to the evolution of new adaptations and the divergence of species over time.