Final answer:
The concept in Darwin's theory of natural selection that describes the proliferation of organisms with beneficial traits is commonly known as 'Survival of the Fittest'. This term speaks to the reproductive success of individuals best suited to their environment, leading to evolutionary changes in populations over time. Option b is the answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Darwin's theory of natural selection suggests that life is competitive and that organisms with traits beneficial to their survival are more likely to prosper. This concept is commonly referred to as Survival of the Fittest. Contrary to what the term may suggest, the 'fittest' does not necessarily mean the physically strongest but refers to those who are most suited to their environment. This suitability means those individuals with traits that allow them to survive and reproduce in their environment are considered 'fit'. Herbert Spencer, not Darwin, introduced the term, and Spencer's ideas significantly influenced the ideology of social Darwinism, which is now largely discredited.
An important distinction to make is that natural selection operates on populations over time, rather than individuals. Traits that confer a reproductive advantage become more prevalent in the population, leading to evolutionary change. This process can be thought of as nature's way of 'selecting' the most fit organisms to pass on their traits to the next generation. Darwin's concept of descent with modification captures this idea of changes accumulating over generations, ultimately leading to adaptation of populations to their local environments.
One key aspect of natural selection is that it is the only known mechanism for adaptive evolution, where traits that enhance survival and reproduction in a particular environment become more common within a population over time. Hence, Survival of the Fittest is a central concept within evolutionary biology, illustrating how natural selection propels the adaptation of species to their environment.