Which term describes a heritable trait that enhances survival in an organism's environment?

The term that describes a heritable trait that enhances survival in an organism's environment is adaptation. Adaptations are specific characteristics that have evolved over time through the process of natural selection, allowing organisms to better fit their environment and improve their chances of survival and reproduction. These traits can include physical characteristics, behaviors, or physiological changes that enhance an organism's ability to thrive in its specific habitat.

When an organism has advantageous traits that are passed on to the next generation, those traits become more common within the population. This process is crucial in the context of evolution, as it demonstrates how species change over time in response to environmental pressures. Adaptations are the result of a long-term process of selection and are critical to the survival of species facing changing conditions and challenges.

In contrast, the other terms relate to evolutionary processes but do not specifically define the heritable traits that enhance survival. Evolution refers to the broader change in species over time, mutation describes random changes in DNA that can lead to variation within a population, and selection generally refers to the process where certain traits increase an organism's chances of survival and reproduction but does not itself define the traits.