How does natural selection primarily function?

Natural selection primarily functions by allowing organisms with advantageous traits to survive and reproduce. This process is driven by environmental pressures that favor certain traits over others based on their effectiveness in helping organisms adapt to their environments. When individuals possess traits that enhance their survival and reproductive success, they are more likely to pass these beneficial traits on to their offspring. Over many generations, these advantageous traits become more common in the population, leading to the evolution of the species.

This mechanism does not necessarily focus on selecting the "strongest" organisms or eliminating all weak individuals. Instead, it concerns the overall fitness of individuals in their specific environments. For example, a trait that might seem weak in one context could be beneficial in another, highlighting that "strength" alone isn't the sole factor in survival. Additionally, while natural selection can foster diversity through the survival of varied traits, its primary effect lies in the propagation of advantageous characteristics rather than promoting diversity itself.