Final answer:
Darwin referred to the process by which species change over time due to the better survival and reproduction rates of individuals with favorable traits as natural selection. This process leads to evolutionary change and the formation of new species. His ideas were detailed in his seminal work, 'On the Origin of Species' in 1859.
Step-by-step explanation:
Charles Darwin called the process through which changes in species occur natural selection. This concept, which Darwin outlined along with Alfred Russel Wallace, is based on the survival and more prolific reproduction of individuals with favorable traits that allow them to better compete for limited resources. As a result of natural selection, these traits become more common in a population over time, leading to evolutionary change and sometimes resulting in the formation of new species, a process known as speciation.
It is important to acknowledge that natural selection is premised upon three key principles. Firstly, within any given population, there exists variation in traits, and this variation is inherited. Secondly, more offspring are produced than can survive due to limited resources. Thirdly, there is a consequent competition for these limited resources. The individuals with the most advantageous traits are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass on these traits, ultimately leading to changes in the population across generations.
In 1859, Darwin's book titled On the Origin of Species detailed the arguments for evolution by natural selection, providing a profound impact on the scientific understanding of the diversity of life on Earth.