In a Balanced Ecosystem, All Animals Are Subject to Predators

question 5

Essay

In a balanced ecosystem, all animals are subject to predators. Bees have been observed avoiding flowers where spiders have been present, but it is not known how they detect the spider’s presence. A series of studies involving Italian honeybees and crab spiders was conducted to address this question. One study looked at flowers that had a dead bee on its petals. In a sample of 128 bee flights to flowers with dead bees, 83 resulted in the bee inspecting the flower, and 38 of these inspections resulted in the bee “accepting” the
flower.
-In prior studies with different species of bees, about 70% of flowers containing deadbees had resulted in acceptance of the flower. Based on the given data, is itreasonable to conclude that the proportion of landings of Apis mellifera is differentfrom 0.70?

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Definitions:

Mucous Membranes

The moist tissue linings of various body cavities, including the mouth, nose, throat, and reproductive tract, that protect against infection.

Mechanical Barriers

Physical or structural methods used to prevent or control the entry or exit of harmful substances or organisms in a particular area.

Skin

The body's largest organ, serving as a protective barrier between the inside of the body and the external environment.

Immunoglobulin

Proteins in the blood plasma, also known as antibodies, which are crucial for the immune system's response against pathogens.