What do we call the gradual change in species through processes such as natural selection?

The term that describes the gradual change in species over time, particularly through mechanisms such as natural selection, is evolution. This process involves the accumulation of genetic changes within populations, which can lead to the development of new traits and adaptations that enhance survival and reproduction in a particular environment. Over long periods, these changes can result in the emergence of new species, illustrating the dynamic nature of life on Earth.

In contrast, adaptive radiation refers to a specific evolutionary process where a single ancestral species rapidly diversifies into a variety of forms to adapt to different environments. A limiting factor is an environmental condition that restricts the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or a population, rather than describing a process of change. Ecosystem stability involves the ability of an ecosystem to maintain its structure and function over time, which is influenced by various factors but does not specifically refer to the gradual change of species. Each of these terms relates to key concepts in biology, but they do not encompass the broad process of species change that evolution represents.