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Traits that help an organism live longer and pass on its genes are adaptations. An adaptation is a feature that fits an organism to its environment, making survival and reproduction more likely. For example, having thick fur in cold climates or camouflage that hides an animal from predators are adaptations. Because these beneficial traits give individuals a better chance to survive and produce offspring, natural selection tends to spread them through the population over time.

Mutation is a random change in genetic material that can create new traits, but it is not itself a trait that guarantees survival. Variation refers to differences among individuals, which provides the raw material for evolution but isn’t a specific trait. Speciation is the process by which new species form, not a trait that helps an individual survive.