Unit 8.1 - Responses to the Environment

Changes in behavior based on cues often help an organism survive longer or reproduce more successfully. For example, avoiding predators or finding better food sources are behaviors shaped by experience or instinct that increase fitness.

Differential reproductive success means that individuals with traits or behaviors that help them survive and reproduce are more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation. This is a key part of natural selection.

Communication and Its Role in Survival

Organisms often communicate to survive and reproduce. Communication can influence who gets to mate, who avoids danger, and how groups stay organized.