Final answer:
Factors that influence mating behavior include traits, natural selection, and environmental factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Several factors can influence mating behavior in animals:
- Traits: Animals with traits that help attract a mate, such as bright colors or elaborate courtship displays, are more likely to succeed in mating.
- Natural Selection: The process of natural selection favors traits that increase an individual's reproductive success, so animals with successful mating behaviors are more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation.
- Environmental Factors: Physical location and environmental factors like temperature can also influence mating behavior. For example, some species have temperature-dependent sex determination, where the incubation temperature of their eggs determines the gender of the offspring.