If You Were Given the Task of Choosing a Biological

question 24

Multiple Choice

If you were given the task of choosing a biological control agent for a reed from China that has become invasive in the southeastern U.S. ,what do you think would be the best choice? Consider both the effectiveness and the safety of the agent you be releasing.

• A)A beetle that feeds upon both native and non-native reed species,and can consume massive quantities of the Chinese reed in a few weeks.
• B)A nematode (microscopic worm-like organism),native to China,that only eats the invasive reed species,but can take up to two years to kill a plant.
• C)A caterpillar,native to the U.S. ,that normally feeds upon a close relative of the invasive Chinese reed,but has been found in lab trials to prefer the Chinese reed.
• D)A fungal pathogen from China that is only known to infect the Chinese reed and can kill a plant in a few months.

---

Definitions:

Interest Rate

The percentage at which interest is paid by a borrower for the use of money that they borrow from a lender.

Permissible

Allowed or permitted within a set of rules, laws, or regulations.

Exculpatory Clause

A contract provision that relieves one party of liability if damages are caused during the execution of the contract.

Liability

A legal responsibility or obligation that may arise from any number of legal claims or is imposed by law.