How do organisms adapt to their environment?

Organisms adapt to their environment primarily through evolutionary changes over many generations. This process, known as evolution, occurs through mechanisms such as natural selection, where individuals with traits that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. Over time, these advantageous traits become more common within the population, leading to significant changes in the species.

This long-term adaptation process contrasts with immediate changes that may occur in response to environmental stimuli, such as physical changes that might happen at the individual level or behavioral adjustments that can occur within a single generation. While these responses can be beneficial in the short term, they do not result in the genetic changes that characterize true adaptation.

In addition, genetic engineering techniques can alter organisms' traits, but these methods do not represent natural adaptations and do not involve the gradual evolutionary process that unfolds over many generations.