Question

optimal foraging theory (oft) holds that animals foraging behaviors reflect cost - benefit trade - offs that vary by species and with dynamic ecological circumstances. one such circumstance is lunar intensity, which burt kotler and colleagues found to be negatively associated with foraging by greater egyptian gerbils but eduardo fernández duque and colleagues found to be positively associated with foraging by azaras night monkeys. this discrepancy is explicable in terms of oft: the monkeys greater reliance on vision means that higher lunar intensity benefits them more than it benefits the gerbils. information in the text best supports which statement about oft? a) it may be weakened by the finding that the costs and benefits associated with a particular ecological circumstance vary by species. b) it can explain why some species act in accordance with cost benefit trade - offs and others do not. c) it can account for observations of different species responding differently to similar ecological circumstances. d) it tends to allow for a better understanding of the benefits of ecological circumstances than the costs of those circumstances.

Explanation:

The text shows that different species (greater Egyptian gerbils and Azara's night - monkeys) respond differently to lunar intensity, and this is explained by OFT. OFT can account for such differences in species' responses to the same ecological factor (lunar intensity). Option A is incorrect as the text doesn't suggest OFT is weakened. Option B is wrong as the text doesn't discuss species not acting according to cost - benefit trade - offs. Option D is not supported as there's no indication OFT focuses more on benefits than costs.

Answer:

C. It can account for observations of different species responding differently to similar ecological circumstances.