In his research with stickleback fish, Tinbergen observed that a distinctive pattern of mating behaviours was initiated in the spring as the temperature of the water increased. Ethologists refer to the rising water temperature as a(n):

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The rising water temperature acts as an innate releasing mechanism or sign stimulus, triggering a specific behavior pattern in the stickleback fish, according to Tinbergen's observations. This concept is fundamental in ethology, the study of animal behavior.

In His Research with Stickleback Fish, Tinbergen Observed That a Distinctive