Just like morphology or physiology, an organism’s behavioral patterns are influenced by its genetics and can therefore evolve. Consider for example how selective breeding has led to behaviorally specialized breeds of dogs (e.g. hunting, herding, or guarding). The study of how behaviors are shaped by selection is the field of behavioral ecology. This discipline typically explores how various behaviors affect the relative fitness of individuals in a population. In other words, asking ‘why does this behavior exist’? In this section there are models that examine how various behaviors affect such things as foraging success and survival.