Question passage: This PASSAGE is adapted from “Rare Woodland Plant Uses‘Cryptic Coloration’ to Hide from Predators.” ©2009 byAmerican Journal of Botany, Inc.It is well known that some animal species usecamouflage to hide from predators. Individuals thatare able to blend in to their surroundings and avoidbeing eaten are able to survive longer, reproduce, andthus increase their fitness (pass along their genes tothe next generation) compared to those who standout more. This may seem like a good strategy, andfairly common in the animal kingdom, but who everheard of a plant doing the same thing?In plants, the use of coloration or pigmentation asa vital component of acquiring food (e.g.,photosynthesis) or as a means of attractingpollinators (e.g., flowers) has been well studied.However, variation in pigmentation as a means ofescaping predation has received little attention.Matthew Klooster from Harvard University andcolleagues empirically investigated whether the driedbracts (specialized leaves) on a rare woodland plant,Monotropsis odorata, might serve a similar purposeas the stripes on a tiger or the grey coloration of thewings of the peppered moth: namely, to hide.
The PASSAGE indicates that compared with other functions of coloration in plants, camouflage in plants has A) provided scientists with a deeper understanding of potential food sources. B) made use of a wider variety of distinctive shades of colors. C) proved to be a less effective defense against predators. D) been the subject of a smaller number of scientific investigations.
Answer: The correct option is C(proved to be a less effective defense against predators).
Explanation:
Adaptation is a means by which plants or animals modify their forms, structures, functions and behaviour in order to escape being harmed and survive in their environment. The special adaptations of organisms in a habitat enables them to live there successfully and reproduce. There are 3 types of adaptation which include:
--> structural adaptation,
--> adaptive coloration and
--> behavioural adaptations.
From the passage, the plant under study shows ADAPTIVE COLOURATION. Colour and colour pattern plays an important role in adaptations of plants. These occur due to the presence of pigments in cells of plants. Common pigments responsible for coloration in plants are:
--> chlorophyll: this gives green colour to plants that has chloroplasts in their cells.
--> Carotene and xanthophyll: this gives yellow to orange colour to plants that has chromoplasts in their cells.
From the passage, the use of coloration or pigmentation in the plant as a vital component of acquiring food (e.g.,photosynthesis) or as a means of attracting pollinators (e.g., flowers) has been well studied but it's use to escape from predation has received little attention. Therefore camouflage in plants has proved to be a less effective defense against predators.
