Spines, Flowers, and a Waxy Stem Coating Are All Adaptations

question 30

Multiple Choice

Spines, flowers, and a waxy stem coating are all adaptations of cacti because

• A) these traits increase the fitness of cacti and arose as a result of natural selection for their current function.
• B) these traits arose prior to the diversification of cacti and perform different functions in different cactus species.
• C) they develop when the climate is dry, making the cacti a better fit to the environment.
• D) they arose by chance and do not provide any benefit to the individuals that have these traits.

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Definitions:

Dependent Variable

In experimental and statistical research, the variable being tested and measured, which is expected to change under the influence of the independent variable.

Artificial Settings

Environments created or manipulated by researchers to study behavior in controlled conditions, which may not perfectly mimic real-life situations.

Experimental Method

A research methodology involving the manipulation of variables to determine cause-and-effect relationships.

Cause-and-effect Conclusions

Deductive reasoning that connects an action or event (the cause) to outcomes or consequences (the effect), establishing a causal relationship.