Nicotiana attenuata produces chemical defenses in response to attack by herbivores. Which of the following statements BEST describes N. attenuata's response to herbivores?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Nicotiana attenuata's response to herbivores is the production of variable levels of nicotine in response to the level of herbivory on the plant. This is a common defense mechanism in plants, where the production of defense compounds is upregulated in response to herbivore attack. The variable production of nicotine allows N. attenuata to allocate resources efficiently, producing more nicotine only when needed. While cardiac glycosides are also produced by some plants as a defense mechanism, there is no mention of this compound in the passage. Additionally, there is no indication that N. attenuata produces a constant level of nicotine or that the level of nicotine production is dependent on the number of different species of herbivores.

Nicotiana Attenuata Produces Chemical Defenses in Response to Attack by Herbivores