Below are two multiple choice questions. Let me know what you think.
Milkweed plants contain cardiac glycosides, substances that are toxic to many species. However, the caterpillars of the monarch butterfly have evolved to feed on milkweed, and are thus able to tolerate the toxins and even sequester them for protection from predators. Milkweed also produces a sticky substance called latex, which can entrap and kill small monarch caterpillars. It has recently been discovered that monarch caterpillars often nibble through a leaf's petiole (attachment point) before feeding on the leaf - this cuts off the supply of latex to the leaf. If you could travel far into the future, what development do you think you would be most likely to find in the milkweed/monarch interaction?Monarchs have evolved to tolerate ingestion of latex and no longer chew through leaf petioles prior to feeding
Milkweed plants have evolved to have tougher petioles; most monarchs are unable to chew through them prior to feeding on leaves.
Monarch have switched from feeding on milkweed to feeding on oak leaves.
Milkweed plants have stopped producing cardiac glycosides, allowing other species besides monarchs to feed on them.
A group of long-billed prairie birds migrates from a pristine, protected prairie to a nearby, newly restored prairie. They colonize and establish a breeding population in the restored prairie. Years later, scientists compare the two bird populations and find that long-billed prairie birds in the newly colonized area consume a much smaller range of food types than birds from the original population, even though food availability is similar in the two areas. What might be an explanation for this?The two populations of the long-billed prairie-birds had different fundamental niches, but the same realized niche
The original population of long-billed prairie-birds had higher levels of competition for food resources and in order to find enough food had a more varied diet. Those in the newly colonized area faced less competition and adapted to a smaller range of food types.
While the long-billed prairie-bird’s fundamental niche included a wide range of prey species, competition with other species in the newly colonized prairie reduced the realized niche such that fewer food types were utilized
The long-billed prairie-bird’s fundamental niche shifted as a result of competition with other species such that individuals in the newly colonized prairie foraged on a smaller variety of food types
Which of the following animals would you not expect to be highly poisonous and explain why?
a snake with red and black bands
a butterfly with orange and black wings
a pale green caterpillar
a red and black grasshopper