Ch. 33 Control Systems in Plants

Taylor - Campbell Biology: Concepts & Connections 10th Edition

Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan10th EditionCampbell Biology: Concepts & ConnectionsISBN: 9780136538783Not the one you use?Change textbook

Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan 10th Edition

Ch. 33 Control Systems in Plants

Problem 7

Chapter 33, Problem 7

Which of the following is a type of defense used by plants to deter herbivores?
a. Chemicals toxic to the herbivore
b. Chemicals that recruit other animals
c. Spines
d. a, b, and c

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the problem: The question asks about the types of defenses plants use to deter herbivores. Herbivory is when animals feed on plants, and plants have evolved various strategies to protect themselves.

Step 1: Recognize that plants can produce chemicals toxic to herbivores. These chemicals, such as alkaloids, tannins, or cyanogenic glycosides, can harm or deter herbivores from feeding on the plant.

Step 2: Note that plants can also produce chemicals that attract other animals, such as predators or parasitoids, to attack the herbivores. For example, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by plants can signal predators to come and feed on the herbivores.

Step 3: Understand that physical defenses, such as spines or thorns, are another strategy plants use to deter herbivores by making it physically difficult or painful for them to feed on the plant.

Step 4: Combine the information: Since the question includes options a, b, and c, and all of these are valid plant defense mechanisms, the correct answer would include all three types of defenses.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.

Video duration:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Chemical Defenses

Plants often produce secondary metabolites that are toxic or deterrent to herbivores. These chemicals can disrupt the herbivore's metabolism or deter feeding through unpleasant tastes or odors. Examples include alkaloids, tannins, and terpenoids, which serve as a direct defense mechanism against herbivory.

Indirect Defenses

Some plants employ indirect defenses by releasing volatile organic compounds that attract natural predators or parasitoids of herbivores. This strategy not only reduces herbivore damage but also enhances the plant's survival by enlisting help from other species, creating a complex ecological interaction.

Physical Defenses

Physical defenses include structural adaptations such as thorns, spines, and tough leaves that make it difficult for herbivores to consume the plant. These features can physically deter herbivores or reduce the likelihood of damage, serving as a protective barrier against feeding.

Recommended video:

Guided course

08:59

Pathogen Defenses

Related Practice

Textbook Question

In autumn, the amount of _________ increases and the amount of _________ decreases in fruits and leaf stalks, causing a plant to drop fruit and leaves.

a. Ethylene … auxin

b. Gibberellin … abscisic acid

c. Cytokinin … abscisic acid

d. Auxin … ethylene

1040

views

Textbook Question

Plant hormones act by affecting the activities of:

a. Genes

b. Membranes

c. Enzymes

d. Genes, membranes, and enzymes

1224

views

Textbook Question

Buds and sprouts often form on tree stumps. Which hormone would stimulate their formation?

a. Auxin

b. Cytokinin

c. Abscisic acid

d. Ethylene

1180

views

Textbook Question

"Match each definition with the correct term.

Bending of a shoot toward light, Growth response to touch, Cycle with a period of about 24 hours Pigment that helps control flowering Relative lengths of night and day Growth response to gravity Folding of plant leaves at night

a. Phytochrome

b. Photoperiod

c. Sleep movement

d. Circadian rhythm

e. Thigmotropism

f. Phototropism

g. Gravitropism"

951

views

Textbook Question

A certain short-day plant flowers only when days are less than 12 hours long. Which of the following would cause it to flower?a. a 9-hour night and 15-hour day with 1 minute of darkness after 7 hoursb. an 8-hour day and 16-hour night with a flash of white light after 8 hoursc. a 13-hour night and 11-hour day with 1 minute of darkness after 6 hoursd. a 12-hour day and 12-hour night with a flash of red light after 6 hours

1306