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Tobacco plants invest a lot of resources into the production of secondary compounds know as alkaloids (e.g., nicotine) that we believe act as defenses against herbivores. The researchers did an experiment where they added a hormone that reduces the production of alkaloids. In graph (a), the data show that the hormone reduced the proportion of alkaloids as a function of leaf mass relative to controls- so the hormone worked. They also measured the lifetime seed production of the plants in both treatments without any herbivores present (b). They had the following results. What might you conclude/hypothesize/investigate based on the data in graph (b) (a) Chemical defenses (percent of leaf mass) 1.8% 1.4 1.0 0.6 0.2 No hormone added Hormone added (b) Lifetime seed mass (g/plant) -18 14 10 No hormone added Hormone added It would be good to test whether the hormone is very specific or whether it might also cause changes in other metabolic processes The hormone has no effect on the lifetime seed mass of tobacco The production of chemical defenses seems to come at a cost since plants make more seeds when they produce less chemical defenses It might be good to test what would happen to life time seed mass in the presence of tobacco hornworm larvae hormones slowed down metabolic processes that resulted in the effects on the production of chemical defenses and on lifetime seed mass

Tobacco plants invest a lot of resources into the production of secondary compounds know as alkaloids (e.g., nicotine) that we believe act as defenses against herbivores. The researchers did an experiment where they added a hormone that reduces the production of alkaloids. In graph (a), the data show that the hormone reduced the proportion of alkaloids as a function of leaf mass relative to controls- so the hormone worked. They also measured the lifetime seed production of the plants in both treatments without any herbivores present (b). They had the following results. What might you conclude/hypothesize/investigate based on the data in graph (b) (a) Chemical defenses (percent of leaf mass) 1.8% 1.4 1.0 0.6 0.2 No hormone added Hormone added (b) Lifetime seed mass (g/plant) -18 14 10 No hormone added Hormone added It would be good to test whether the hormone is very specific or whether it might also cause changes in other metabolic processes The hormone has no effect on the lifetime seed mass of tobacco The production of chemical defenses seems to come at a cost since plants make more seeds when they produce less chemical defenses It might be good to test what would happen to life time seed mass in the presence of tobacco hornworm larvae hormones slowed down metabolic processes that resulted in the effects on the production of chemical defenses and on lifetime seed mass

Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)
Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)
4th Edition
ISBN:9781305389892
Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan
Publisher:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillan
Chapter37: Plant Signals And Responses To The Environment
Section: Chapter Questions
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Tobacco plants invest a lot of resources into the production of secondary compounds know as alkaloids (e.g., nicotine) that we believe act as defenses against herbivores. The researchers did an experiment where they added a hormone that reduces the production of alkaloids. In graph (a), the data show that the hormone reduced the proportion of alkaloids as a function of leaf mass relative to controls- so the hormone worked. They also measured the lifetime seed production of the plants in both treatments without any herbivores present (b). They had the following results. What might you conclude/hypothesize/investigate based on the data in graph (b) (a) Chemical defenses (percent of leaf mass) 1.8% 1.4 1.0 0.6 0.2 No hormone added Hormone added (b) Lifetime seed mass (g/plant) -18 14 10 No hormone added Hormone added It would be good to test whether the hormone is very specific or whether it might also cause changes in other metabolic processes The hormone has no effect on the lifetime seed mass of tobacco The production of chemical defenses seems to come at a cost since plants make more seeds when they produce less chemical defenses It might be good to test what would happen to life time seed mass in the presence of tobacco hornworm larvae hormones slowed down metabolic processes that resulted in the effects on the production of chemical defenses and on lifetime seed mass
Transcribed Image Text:Tobacco plants invest a lot of resources into the production of secondary compounds know as alkaloids (e.g., nicotine) that we believe act as defenses against herbivores. The researchers did an experiment where they added a hormone that reduces the production of alkaloids. In graph (a), the data show that the hormone reduced the proportion of alkaloids as a function of leaf mass relative to controls- so the hormone worked. They also measured the lifetime seed production of the plants in both treatments without any herbivores present (b). They had the following results. What might you conclude/hypothesize/investigate based on the data in graph (b) (a) Chemical defenses (percent of leaf mass) 1.8% 1.4 1.0 0.6 0.2 No hormone added Hormone added (b) Lifetime seed mass (g/plant) -18 14 10 No hormone added Hormone added It would be good to test whether the hormone is very specific or whether it might also cause changes in other metabolic processes The hormone has no effect on the lifetime seed mass of tobacco The production of chemical defenses seems to come at a cost since plants make more seeds when they produce less chemical defenses It might be good to test what would happen to life time seed mass in the presence of tobacco hornworm larvae hormones slowed down metabolic processes that resulted in the effects on the production of chemical defenses and on lifetime seed mass
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