entomology: insects and plants module 4 questions
with verified answers
ant plants (myrmecophytes) Ans✓✓✓ plant provides shelter for ant
colony (domatium) inside hollow stem, thorn, tubers
plants provide nutrition: extrafloral nectaries
plant receives protection from herbivores, competing plants, and
additional nutrition
antibiosis Ans✓✓✓ plant is eaten but has adverse effect on insect
toxins, growth inhibitors, reduced levels of nutrients, sticky exudates
from glandular trichomes, high concentration of indigestible
components
atixenosis Ans✓✓✓ plant is a poor host, deters colonization
chemical repellents and deterrents, pubescence, surface waxes, foliage
thickness
cheating on mutualism Ans✓✓✓ pollination without mutualism
nectar/pollen robbers with no pollination
chemical cues Ans✓✓✓ plants use chemical cues to attract specific
pollinators
e.g. highly fragrant flowers: bees; moths carrion-like smell: carrion flies,
dung flies
, coevolution Ans✓✓✓ reciprocal interactions over evolutionary time
plants and insects have coevolved for millions of years (probably
starting the Carboniferous: "ams race between herbivores and host
plants, convergence of traits in mutualisms)
may be the reason of great angiosperm and insect diversity
coleoptera pollinator Ans✓✓✓ more generalist pollinator
detoxification and re-utilization Ans✓✓✓ example: monarch butterfly
diptera pollinator Ans✓✓✓ highly diverse, economically important,
often specialized
exploitation of pollinator memory Ans✓✓✓ pollinators (especially
bumble bees) form short term memory of most lucrative nectar and
pollen sources and visit those preferentially
plants in turn restrict their flowering to particular times of the year,
during which they present bees with an overabndance of flowers and
rewards
flower morphology Ans✓✓✓ many flowering plants have adapted
their flower appearance to cater preferentially towards certain, and
discriminate against other, potential pollinators
with verified answers
ant plants (myrmecophytes) Ans✓✓✓ plant provides shelter for ant
colony (domatium) inside hollow stem, thorn, tubers
plants provide nutrition: extrafloral nectaries
plant receives protection from herbivores, competing plants, and
additional nutrition
antibiosis Ans✓✓✓ plant is eaten but has adverse effect on insect
toxins, growth inhibitors, reduced levels of nutrients, sticky exudates
from glandular trichomes, high concentration of indigestible
components
atixenosis Ans✓✓✓ plant is a poor host, deters colonization
chemical repellents and deterrents, pubescence, surface waxes, foliage
thickness
cheating on mutualism Ans✓✓✓ pollination without mutualism
nectar/pollen robbers with no pollination
chemical cues Ans✓✓✓ plants use chemical cues to attract specific
pollinators
e.g. highly fragrant flowers: bees; moths carrion-like smell: carrion flies,
dung flies
, coevolution Ans✓✓✓ reciprocal interactions over evolutionary time
plants and insects have coevolved for millions of years (probably
starting the Carboniferous: "ams race between herbivores and host
plants, convergence of traits in mutualisms)
may be the reason of great angiosperm and insect diversity
coleoptera pollinator Ans✓✓✓ more generalist pollinator
detoxification and re-utilization Ans✓✓✓ example: monarch butterfly
diptera pollinator Ans✓✓✓ highly diverse, economically important,
often specialized
exploitation of pollinator memory Ans✓✓✓ pollinators (especially
bumble bees) form short term memory of most lucrative nectar and
pollen sources and visit those preferentially
plants in turn restrict their flowering to particular times of the year,
during which they present bees with an overabndance of flowers and
rewards
flower morphology Ans✓✓✓ many flowering plants have adapted
their flower appearance to cater preferentially towards certain, and
discriminate against other, potential pollinators
