Question

The Brazil nut tree, Bertholletia excels (n = 17), is native to tropical rain forests of South America. It is a hardwood tree that can grow to over 50 meters tall, is a source of high-quality lumber, and is a favorite nesting site for harpy eagles. As the rainy season ends, tough-walled fruits, each containing 8-25 seeds (Brazil nuts), fall to the forest floor. Brazil nuts are composed primarily of endosperm. About $50 million worth of nuts are harvested each year. Scientists have discovered that the pale yellow flowers of Brazil nut trees cannot fertilize themselves and admit only female orchid bees as pollinators. The agouti (Dasyprocta spp.), a cat-sized rodent, is the only animal with teeth strong enough to crack the hard wall of Brazil nut fruits. It typically eats some of the seeds, buries others, and leaves still others inside the fruit, which moisture can now enter. The uneaten seeds may subsequently germinate.
21) Orchid bees are to Brazil nut trees as ________ are to pine trees.
A) breezes
B) rain droplets
C) seed-eating birds
D) squirrels

Answer 1

Answer:

Answer is option A.

Orchid bees are to Brazil nut trees as breezes are to pine trees.

Explanation:

In Brazil nut trees, the female orchid bees act as pollinators that help in pollination. In pine trees, wind or breeze helps in pollination.

Pine trees are gymnosperms and so they do not have flowers to attract pollinators like bees or butterflies or birds. They are wind-pollinated. Pine trees are monoecious i.e., both male and female reproductive structures (pine cones) are present on the same tree.

The male cones (catkins) produce pollen grains that are lightweight, less sticky and have air bladders or small wing-like structures. As a result of these features, the pollen grains can be easily carried and dispersed by the breeze. In order to prevent self pollination (pollen falling on the female cones of the same tree), the male cones are normally located on the lower branches of the pine tree.  

The female cones are located on the upper branches of the tree and the center of the cone contains eggs or ovules. The pollen grains that are carried by the wind, fall on the female cone of another pine tree. Each pollen grain grows a pollen tube into the center of the cone and the nucleus cell of the pollen travels through the tube and reaches the egg, where it combines with the egg to form an embryo. The embryo eventually grows into a seed. The seeds of pine trees are then dispersed by wind or animals such as squirrels.