Why is territoriality an adaptive behaviour for songbirds maintaining populations at or near their carrying capacity?
A)Songbirds expend a tremendous amount of energy defending territories so that they spend less time feeding their young and fledgling mortality increases.
B)Only the fittest males defend territories and they attract the fittest females so the best genes are conveyed to the next generation.
C)Songbird males defend territories commensurate with the size from which they can derive adequate resources for themselves, their mate, and their chicks.
D)Many individuals are killed in the agonistic behaviours that go along with territorial defence.
E)Adult songbirds make improvements to the territories they inhabit so that they can produce successfully fledged chicks.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Territoriality allows songbirds to defend and occupy areas with sufficient resources to support themselves and their offspring, thus helping to maintain populations at or near their carrying capacity. By defending their territory from intruders, songbirds can ensure that they have access to adequate food, water, and shelter, which can increase their chances of survival and successful reproduction. Additionally, by selecting and improving their territory, songbirds can attract and mate with higher quality individuals, passing on desirable traits to their offspring. While territorial defense can involve aggression and energy expenditure, these costs are generally outweighed by the benefits of occupying and defending a desirable territory.

Why Is Territoriality an Adaptive Behaviour for Songbirds Maintaining Populations