Final answer:
Divergent behaviors in species help to avoid the costs of direct competition.
Step-by-step explanation:
Divergent behaviors occur in order to avoid the costs of direct competition between species. When two species directly compete for the same resources, such as food or habitat, it can lead to increased competition and a decrease in the availability of those resources. This can be costly for both species and can result in reduced fitness and population sizes. To avoid these costs, species may exhibit divergent behaviors, such as niche partitioning, where they modify their behavior or traits to occupy different ecological niches, reducing direct competition and allowing for coexistence.
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