What is the difference between Adaptation and Natural Selection?

Evolution is the scientific idea that demonstrates that life has changed over time, as the world's biodiversity occurs through mutations, genetic drift, and natural selection. Both natural selection and adaption come under the concept of Darwin's Theory of Evolution. He said that all life is connected and has offspring from a common ancestor. Natural selection is the recognized origin of adaptions.

However, other non-adaptive causes like mutation and genetic drift are also responsible for the evolution of life on earth. Darwin states that organisms with more positive modifications or adaptions and greater procreation rates could elevate their survival chance. Natural selection is characterized as any difference in the health among phenotypically different organisms.

It is the meat of the evolutionary theory. According to Darwin's explanation, natural selection is a significant component of evolution. However, even without the development of natural selection, evolution could arise, especially in genetic drift. Adaption is specified as an evolutionary process that improves the fitness of a particular organism.

Adaptation and natural selection are two different terms, although they are related to the concept of evolution. According to scientific findings, people have been made to believe that the planet earth has been existing for millions of years and that all living organisms have learned how to constantly adapt to any changes that occur to Earth. Adaptation refers to the process of change that an organism undergoes so that it can live comfortably in its environment. This process of change is needed as it will help living organisms cope with any changes in their environments or habitats. For instance, some animals have managed to develop some features to cope with their cold habitat. On the other hand, natural selection is the process whereby certain heritable traits have given some animals the privilege to keep living and to survive certain conditions that have made other animals gone into extinction.

There are different traits that may have been passed on from one generation to another. When you say adaptation, you mean to say that this is the characteristic that may be passed on depending on the situation of the ones who are there.

When you say “natural selection,” you mean to say that one characteristic that is considered to be good that will be passed on. The more that this is possible, the higher the chances that the good traits will be carried over to the next generation. Take note that the biological meaning of adaptation and the common meaning of adaptation are different from each other.

Whenever concept like evolution is being discussed, topics like adaption and natural selection have always part of the deciding factors as to how different animals have evolved over the years. Adaptation is not the same as natural selection, but both might produce the same result. Adaptation refers to the various ways by which animals have adjusted themselves to the various natural changes that have occurred through the modification of something that makes them more fit for existence with the current environment in which they are.

Natural selection, on the other hand, is a natural process whereby organisms with certain traits are able to adapt to various environmental conditions, which also enable them to have advantages over their mates. In other words, natural selection will lead to the survival of the fitness. Organisms that have traits that are needed for survival are more likely to continue to exist and evolve as nature continues changing.