Adaptation refers to the process by which organisms adjust to changes in their environment in order to survive and reproduce. It involves the development of traits or behaviors that enhance an organism's ability to cope with its surroundings and increase its chances of survival. Adaptations can be structural, such as the shape of an animal's body or the color of its fur, or they can be behavioral, such as migration or hibernation. Adaptations can occur over long periods of time through natural selection, where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and pass on their genes to the next generation.