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Use the Information to Answer the Following Question

question 65

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Use the information to answer the following question.
The Brazil nut tree, Bertholletia excels (n = 17) , is native to tropical rain forests of South America. It is a hardwood tree that can grow to over 50 meters tall, a source of high-quality lumber, and a favorite nesting site for harpy eagles. As the rainy season ends, tough-walled fruits, each containing 8-25 seeds (Brazil nuts) , fall to the forest floor. Brazil nuts are composed primarily of endosperm. About $50 million worth of nuts are harvested each year. Scientists have discovered that the pale yellow flowers of Brazil nut trees cannot fertilize themselves and admit only female orchid bees as pollinators. The agouti (Dasyprocta spp.) , a cat-sized rodent, is the only animal with teeth strong enough to crack the hard wall of Brazil nut fruits. It typically eats some of the seeds, buries others, and leaves still others inside the fruit, which moisture can then enter and allow the remaining seeds to germinate.
Entrepreneurs attempted, but failed, to harvest nuts from plantations grown in Southeast Asia. Attempts to grow Brazil nut trees in South American plantations also failed. In both cases, the trees grew vigorously, produced healthy flowers in profusion, but set no fruit. Consequently, what is the likely source of the problem?

Definitions:

Firm

A business organization or entity engaged in commercial, industrial, or professional activities, designed to provide goods or services for profit.

Hire

The act of giving someone a job; it involves agreeing to employ an individual under specified terms.

Marginal Product

The rise in production resulting from one more unit of input, while keeping all other inputs unchanged.

Units of Output

The quantity of goods or services produced by a business, factory, or individual within a certain timeframe.