text: Are we speaking about biology here? Sociology? Politics?\n\nI'll assume biology. On the face of it it would seem true, if environmental conditions changed, the species adapting best to exploit it should out compete the others. Speed in reaching the best adaptation would make sure of it. However if a species were to rapidly adapt to aberrant cyclic changes in the environment, that might not guarantee long term success. And mobility and the ability to relocate as conditions changed might have an advantage over adapting to change until that were no longer possible.\n\nSimple algae species have survived for millions of years as more complex species have come and gone.