Scenario Corn Crops Are Susceptible to Damage by Different Species of of Corn

question 3

Multiple Choice

Scenario
Corn crops are susceptible to damage by different species of corn borer, an insect (a type of arthropod) that feeds and lives on corn plants. It is estimated that corn borers may cause up to $1 billion of damage a year to corn crops. Because of pests like the corn borer, researchers have created genetically modified pest-resistant crops. One type of pest-resistant crop, Bt corn, expresses a bacterial toxin that kills corn borers if they consume the toxin. While Bt corn has been planted and used in the United States since 1996, some researchers and members of the public continue to worry about negative effects of the Bt toxin on other animals, including arthropods and humans. In order to investigate the effects of Bt toxins on other animals, researchers conducted experiments where they fed arthropods Bt corn or non-Bt corn. A summary of the effects of eating Bt corn on single species of corn borer, mite, and beetle are shown in the figure below.
-Based on the data in the graph, do you think Bt corn is having its intended effect?

• A)Yes, because Bt corn affected the mortality of all three arthropods equally.
• B)Yes, because Bt corn selectively killed corn borers that ate it while similar percentages of beetles and mites died after eating the Bt corn as compared to the non-Bt corn.
• C)No, because Bt corn was designed to kill all arthropods that ate it, and only the corn borers were killed after eating the Bt corn.
• D)No, because corn borer percent mortality increased when corn borers ate Bt corn; if Bt corn was effective, then percent mortality should have decreased.

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