Which term describes the process through which inherited traits that enhance reproductive success are preserved in evolution?

The process that describes how inherited traits that enhance reproductive success are preserved in evolution is known as natural selection. This concept, introduced by Charles Darwin, explains how individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce in their environment. Over time, these traits become more common within a population because the individuals exhibiting them are more successful in passing their genes to the next generation.

Natural selection emphasizes the role of environmental pressures in determining which traits are deemed advantageous. For example, in a changing environment where food sources are scarce, animals with traits that allow them to find food more effectively are more likely to thrive and reproduce. This mechanism explains the gradual adaptation of species over generations as the traits that aid survival are perpetuated.

In contrast, adaptation refers to the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment, resulting from the outcomes of natural selection. Variation is the presence of differences among individuals in a population, which can contribute to natural selection but does not explain the preservation process itself. Mutation refers to random changes in DNA that can lead to new traits, but it is not the mechanism that preserves beneficial traits in the population over time. Thus, natural selection is the correct term that encapsulates the specific evolutionary process described in the question.