Which of the following questions could best be answered by applying game theory?

• A. Why do animals practice play behavior?
• B. Why are some species monogamous and others polygamous?
• C. How do female robins build their nests?
• D. All of the listed questions could best be answered by applying game theory.
• E. How can three different phenotypes of aggression levels survive in the same population?

Answer: (E)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of game theory: Game theory is a mathematical framework used to analyze competitive situations where the outcomes depend on the actions of multiple agents. In biology, it helps explain behaviors and strategies that organisms use to survive and reproduce.
2. Identify the question that involves strategic interactions: Game theory is particularly useful for questions involving strategic interactions between individuals, such as competition, cooperation, and conflict.
3. Analyze the question about phenotypes of aggression: The question 'How can three different phenotypes of aggression levels survive in the same population?' involves understanding how different strategies (phenotypes) can coexist and be stable within a population.
4. Apply game theory to the aggression question: Game theory can be used to model the interactions between individuals with different aggression levels, predicting which strategies will be successful and how they can coexist.
5. Consider evolutionary stable strategies: Use the concept of evolutionary stable strategies (ESS) from game theory to determine how different aggression phenotypes can persist in a population without being outcompeted by others.