[Campbell Biology P.1210] Although many chimpanzees live in environments with oil palm nuts, ... | Practice Question

Although many chimpanzees live in environments with oil palm nuts, members of only a few populations use stones to crack open the nuts. The likely explanation is that:

  • A: the behavioral difference is caused by genetic differences between populations.
  • B: members of different populations have different nutritional requirements.
  • C: the cultural tradition of using stones to crack nuts has arisen in only some populations.
  • D: members of different populations differ in learning ability.

Explanation

This scenario highlights cultural transmission, a form of social learning where behavior spreads within a population, rather than being genetically inherited or simply arising from environmental cues. The fact that many populations have access to the nuts but only some use stones strongly suggests a learned tradition.