Consider an experiment in which two species of plants, A and B, are grown in separate pots in the same enclosure, either with an herbivorous insect that eats only plant A (treatment) or with no herbivores (control). How do you expect allocation to defense for species B will differ between the two treatments?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

BSpecies B's allocation to defense will not differ in the presence of an herbivorous insect that only eats plant A if it relies on physical defenses like hairs or spines, as these are constitutive defenses not influenced by the presence of herbivores that do not target them. However, if species B relies on chemical defenses, which can be induced by the presence of herbivores or signals from other plants being attacked, its allocation to defense could be higher in the treatment due to the presence of the herbivorous insect attacking plant A, potentially triggering a defensive response in plant B.

Consider an Experiment in Which Two Species of Plants, a and B