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Multiple Choice
How would the ability of individual prey to detect damaged members of their own species be beneficial to them?
A
It helps prey attract more mates by staying close to injured individuals.
B
It allows healthy individuals to avoid areas where predators are likely to attack, increasing their chances of survival.
C
It enables prey to directly heal injured members, reducing overall predation.
D
It encourages prey to compete more aggressively for food with injured members.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Understand the context of the problem. The question is asking about the evolutionary benefit of prey detecting damaged members of their own species. This relates to survival strategies in ecology and animal behavior.
Step 2: Analyze the options provided. The correct answer should align with the concept of survival and avoiding predation, as these are key factors in natural selection.
Step 3: Evaluate the first option: 'It helps prey attract more mates by staying close to injured individuals.' This does not make sense biologically, as staying close to injured individuals could increase the risk of predation rather than aiding survival.
Step 4: Evaluate the second option: 'It allows healthy individuals to avoid areas where predators are likely to attack, increasing their chances of survival.' This is a logical survival strategy, as detecting injured members could signal the presence of predators nearby, prompting healthy individuals to avoid those areas.
Step 5: Evaluate the remaining options. 'It enables prey to directly heal injured members, reducing overall predation' is unlikely because most prey species do not exhibit healing behaviors. 'It encourages prey to compete more aggressively for food with injured members' does not align with survival benefits. Therefore, the second option is the most biologically plausible answer.