what helps an individual to adapt itself to the surrounding

Adaptation is the ability of an organism to survive better in its environment by developing certain physical or behavioural characteristics. Adaptation may occur due to evolution or when a gene mutates, or changes by accident. The mutation causes the organism to survive better and reproduce, and it passes on that trait to its offspring. It can take several generations to develop an adaptation. Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired traits explains adaptation by natural means.