“Given the array of environmental conditions on the planet, one kind of organism might gain a temporary advantage, but such gains will soon be countered by other, competing organisms.”
I’m guessing that human ability to change the environmental conditions around them (irrigation, air-conditioning, buildings, growing crops, desalination, heating, etc.) gives us a leg up on the other organisms.
I haven't heard of any birds that can fly at 80,000 feet at mach 3 and see the sunrise in the west by outracing the Sun.