Question

Interactions between the herbaceous plant Lithophragma parviflorum (also known as the woodland star) and the moth Greya politella serve as a good example of mosaic coevolution in nature. The moth lays its eggs into developing flowers of the woodland star, but the plant pays a cost for this because moth larvae eat some of the woodland star's seeds. In addition, this moth is the sole pollinator of the woodland star's flowers in some geographic locations, while in other locations, the woodland star has additional pollinators. Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding mosaic coevolution in this example?
a. The moth Greya politella is completely reliant on the woodland star as its host, but the woodland star is not always reliant on the moth as its sole pollinator.
b. In all studied locations, the woodland star rarely aborted flower capsules that contained moth eggs, compared to capsules that had no moth eggs
c. In populations where alternative pollinators were present, the woodland star selectively aborted flower capsules that contained moth eggs because the costs of having the moth pollinator outweighed the benefits, and selection favored an antagonistic response
d. In cases where the moth was the sole pollinator for the plant, the woodland star rarely aborted flower capsules that contained moth eggs because the benefits of having the moth pollinator outweighed the costs, and selection favored mutualism

Answer 1

Answer:

b. In all studied locations, the woodland star rarely aborted flower capsules that contained moth eggs, compared to capsules that had no moth eggs

Explanation:

According to the given information, the moth is the sole pollinator of the woodland star in some locations while the same plant species have alternative pollinators. This means that the plant is not completely dependent on the moth species while the moth is completely dependent on the woodland star as its host.

In the presence of alternative pollinators, the woodland star plants have evolved the mechanisms to abort the flower capsule having the eggs of the moth. This is because the larvae of moth adversely affect its host by feeding on the seeds. So, when the alternative pollinators are available, the plant would not allow the eggs of the moth to develop into the harmful larvae.  

On the other hand, in the regions where the given moth species is the only pollinator of woodland star flowers, the plant bears the cost of pollination by not aborting the flower capsules with the eggs of the pollinator.