Plant Communication

Question 1

How do plants communicate?

Answer 1

Plants communicate using chemicals

Question 2

What is an example of a plant using a chemical to communicate?

Answer 2

Flowering plants use scents to attract particular animals.

Question 3

What animals do strong sweet scents attract?

Answer 3

Moths

Question 4

What animals does roting flesh attract?

Answer 4

Carrion flys

Question 5

How do plants and insects have a mutualistic relationship?

Answer 5

As the animal feeds on nectar at the flower, pollen attaches to the animal and is transported to the next flower the animal feeds on

Question 6

What is a mutualistic relationship?

Answer 6

A mutualistic relationship is a relationship which benefits both organisms

Question 7

Why do plants produce chemicals that affect other plants?

Answer 7

• some plants produce chemicals from their roots that damage other plants roots. This reduces competition for resources
• some plants produce chemicals into the air when they are attacked by herbivores, to warn surrounding plants. The warned plans then produce poisons. They only do this when warned as the poisons take a lot of energy to make.

Question 8

What is co-evolution?

Answer 8

Co-evolution is evolution (change in characteristics that is caused in one species by a change in another species

Question 9

How have plants co-evolved?

Answer 9

Plants have co-evolved the shape of their flowers with other pollinators so that only one or a few species of the animal can feed at the flower

Question 10

How does co-evolution benefit plant and animal?

Answer 10

• pollen from the plants flowers is more likely to be taken to a flower of the same species
• The animal is less likely to have to compete with other animals to get the nectar in the flower

Question 11

What is bad about co-evolution?

Answer 11

If the relationship between the plant and animal becomes too specialised the populations can become dependent on each other. If one population crashes the other can be affected