New model shows how behavioral flexibility affects animal evolution

When the environment changes dramatically, animals, from mollusks to crows, can make big changes in their behavior that allow them to survive. For example, California marmots and ground squirrels are spending more time in moist vegetation and on steep slopes to counter rising temperatures. Polar bears, losing their floating ice habitats, are spending more time on land and adding bird and reindeer eggs to their diet. And lake trout in Ontario, which rely on external water temperatures to maintain a healthy internal temperature, move to cooler, deeper waters and eat smaller prey when the water becomes warmer than usual.