Behaviors are diverse and important for survival and reproduction. Some behaviors are learned, such as the species-specific song of a yellow warbler that is different from the song of a blue-winged warbler. Other behaviors are innate, such as a female cat in heat urinating more often and in many places to attract a mate or the honeybees' "dance" that indicates the distance and direction of a food source when they return to their hive. Which of the following statements supports the idea that behaviors are important in survival and therefore affect natural selection?
A) Learned behaviors always increase fitness.
B) Innate behaviors are the result of selection for individual survival and reproductive success.
C) All behaviors are survival mechanisms that increase reproductive fitness by increasing mutation rates.
D) Both innate and learned behaviors are entirely based on genes inherited from parents.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Innate behaviors, such as the female cat in heat urinating more often, and learned behaviors, such as the yellow warbler's species-specific song, are important for survival and reproduction. This is because behaviors that enhance an individual's ability to survive and reproduce will be passed on through natural selection, resulting in increased reproductive fitness. Innate behaviors are the result of natural selection for survival and reproductive success, as those individuals who possess traits that aid in these goals are more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation.

Behaviors Are Diverse and Important for Survival and Reproduction