Biology · Plant-Animal Interactions
Caterpillars produce defensive vibrations that travel through plant stems to deter predators. The table below summarizes data collected from three plant species, including vibration amplitude measured 10 cm from the caterpillar, predator latency to attack, and the Young's modulus of the stem: Plant SpeciesVibration Amplitude (μm)Latency to attack (sec)Young's modulus (MPa)A2.33.0250B1.82.1110C0.71.345 Choose the option that correctly provides a mechanistic explanation for the data presented in the table.
- 1A is a herbaceous plant and its stem dissipates energy faster compared to B and C which are woody plants.
- 2C is a woody plant, and predators detect vibrations on it more easily compared to A and B which are herbaceous plants.
- 3Predators are more inefficient on herbaceous plant species A and B, and more efficient on woody plant species C.
- 4C is a herbaceous plant with a lower Young's modulus, and its stem allows a faster rate of decay or lower amplitude at 10 cm, but predators respond more quickly to closer/unattenuated localized cues, indicating herbaceous plants transmit short-range localized signals effectively.✓
Correct answer
C is a herbaceous plant with a lower Young's modulus, and its stem allows a faster rate of decay or lower amplitude at 10 cm, but predators respond more quickly to closer/unattenuated localized cues, indicating herbaceous plants transmit short-range localized signals effectively.
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