Which tool allows selection of features based on spatial criteria?

The tool that allows selection of features based on spatial criteria is the "Select Layer By Location" tool. This tool is specifically designed to identify and select features in one layer based on their spatial relationship to features in another layer or the same layer. It enables users to choose features by various spatial criteria such as intersecting, containing, or being within a distance of other features. This capability is essential for tasks that require the analysis of spatial relationships, such as identifying which properties fall within a specific flood zone or determining which schools are located within a certain distance of a highway.

In contrast, other tools like "Spatial Join" are primarily used for combining attribute data from different layers based on their spatial relationships rather than selecting features. The "Clip" tool is used to cut out a portion of one layer using the shape of another layer, while "Dissolve" is used to combine adjacent features in a layer that share the same attribute values. While all these tools relate to spatial analysis, "Select Layer By Location" is uniquely focused on the selection process based on spatial criteria.