2. Butterflies are diurnal and have good vision (can see red) but a weak sense of smell. They are perching feeders. Butterfly-pollinated flowers are brightly-colored but odorless. Often, these flowers occur in clusters (Compositae, milkweed) and/or are designed with a “landing platform.” Butterflies walk around on flower clusters probing the blossoms with their tongues. Each flower has a tube of suitable length for the butterfly’s tongue.
![Lina Masalkhi<br />Assignment 2<br />1-The author of the article on co-evolution described a deceptive relationship between a particular species of wasp and an orchid found in Australia. Provide a brief explanation of this relationship:<br />The author of the article on co-evolution described a deceptive relationship between a particular species of wasp and an orchid found in Australia. Provide a brief explanation of this relationship<br />Anne Gaskett, the author of article, described an extraordinary act of sexual deception between a particular species of wasp and an orchid found in Australia. In fact, the flowers are tricking the wasps into making love to them. Usually, each female wasp produces unique pheromones that attract the male wasps which mean the male wraps rarely can end up with the wrong female. However, these flowers “tongue orchids” can produce relatively similar molecules that resemble the pheromone produced by female wasps “dupe wasps”. As a result, male wasps choose the odor of the orchids and race to the flowers expecting to find a mate. Moreover, the flowers have colors that resemble the female dupe wasp. So at the end, the male wasp land and when his body fits snugly against the flower, he extends his sexual pincers in to the flower and ejaculate there.<br />2-Explain the “mystery of the dead hunters” and how it relates to co-evolution.<br />As mentioned in the article, three hunters were found died at their campsite in the Oregon countryside. After investigating, they discover that they died due to a rough-skinned newt that crawled into their coffee pot. This newt is capable of producing a power toxin in its skin that can kill up to 100 people. So probably, the hunters had died after drinking this poisoned coffee. The toxin that this newt produces is obviously a powerful deterrent to predators. Yet, garter snakes can eat them without dying because these snakes have evolved neuron channel with special shape that makes it harder for the toxin to enter. This co evolutionary arm race become sometimes more complex, where in some places the newt produce very deadly amount of toxin and the snakes are highly resistant and in other places the sake have very low resistance and the newt produce little amount of toxin. With just single change in amino acid, the neuron channel of the snake can block the newt toxin very well, and on the other hand, newts may acquire a series of mutation to produce more lethal level of toxin. This reciprocal change that is called the ”co evolution” played an important role to either protect a species(newt) or provide some food for other species(snake) and therefore helped in rising the diversity of life.<br />3-Explain possible effect of global climate change on organisms that have coevolved.<br />Global warming can put a strain on many nature’s partnerships. For example, rising in temperature are changing the geographic ranges in which species can survive. Animal and plant are responding to the changing climate by becoming active earlier each spring. However, some species are shifting more quickly than other. If the amount of carbon dioxide doubled, many pollinators could face disrupted food supply. And, in some cases plant may flower too early for insects, running out of nectar while the insect still need to eat. Or in some other cases, the insect might face a gap in their food supply because the flower they depend on have not yet bloomed. So as a result, some pollinating insect may become extinct and some plant will decline because they can no longer spread their pollen. However, some insect may withstand this change because they can be pollinated be many insect species. Some other insect may switch to new flowers.<br />4- Research plant and pollinator co-evolution. Find 2 examples and explain how each species benefits. Provide citations for your sources.<br /> Co evolution is the mutual evolutionary influence between two species (the evolution of two species totally dependent on each other). Each of the species involved exerts selective pressure on the other, so they evolve together. Co evolution is an extreme example of mutualism. Some examples of co evolution include: <br />,[object Object]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/assignment21-110904134343-phpapp02/85/assignment-2-1-1-320.jpg)
