- Evolutionary trap
Evolutionary traps occur when rapid
environmental change triggers organisms to make maladaptive behavioral decisions.cite journal |last=Schlaepfer |first=M.A. |authorlink= |coauthors=Runge, M.C. & Sherman, P.W. |year=2002 |month= |title=Ecological and evolutionary traps |journal=Trends in Ecology and Evolution |volume=17 |issue= |pages=478-480 |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= |doi=10.1016/S0169-5347(02)02580-6] While these traps may take place within any type of behavioral context (e.g. mate selection, navigation, nest-site selection), the most empirically and theoretically well-understood type of evolutionary trap is theecological trap cite journal |last=Dwernychuk |first=L.W. |authorlink= |coauthors=Boag, D.A. |year=1972 |month= |title=Ducks nesting in association with gulls-an ecological trap? |journal=Canadian Journal of Zoology |volume=50 |issue= |pages=559-563 |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= ] which represents maladaptivehabitat selection behavior.Habitat selection is an extremely important process in the lifespan of most organisms. That choice affects nearly all of an individual’s subsequent choices,cite journal |last=Orians |first=G.H. |authorlink= |coauthors=Wittenberger, J.F. |year=1991 |month= |title=Spatial and temporal scales in habitat selection |journal=American Naturalist |volume=137 |issue= |pages=S29-S49 |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= ] so it may not be particularly surprising the type of evolutionary trap with the best empirical support is the ecological trap. Even so, traps may be relatively difficult to detect and so the lack of evidence for other types of evolutionary trap may be a result of the paucity of researchers looking for them coupled with the demanding evidence required to demonstrate their existence.cite journal |last=Robertson |first=B.A. |authorlink= |coauthors=Hutto, R.L. |year=2006 |month= |title=A framework for understanding ecological traps and an evaluation of existing evidence |journal=Ecology |volume=87 |issue= |pages=1075-1085 |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= |doi=10.1890/0012-9658(2006)87 [1075:AFFUET] 2.0.CO;2]
References
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