You have been hired as a field assistant for a researcher interested in the evolution of flower characteristics in orchids. Design an experiment to determine whether color, size, shape, scent, or amount of nectar is the most important factor in attracting pollinators to a particular species. Assume that you can change any flower's color with a dye and that you can remove petals or nectar stores, add particular scents, add nectar by injection, or switch parts among species by cutting and gluing.

Video transcript

Welcome back. Our next question says which of the following characteristics makes the flower attractive to insects? Well, let's look at our answer choices, noticing as we look over them. That choice D. Is all of the above, says the potential for more than one to be correct. So Choice A. Is vibrant colors. We know the Corolla, the petals of flowers that attract insect pollinators are often brightly colored, making them noticeable to insects, helping them find the flower. Choice B. Says, sweet smell. And yes, they often produce aromatics. Again, a way to attract insect pollinators to themselves. And Choice E. Says, contains nectars and yes, flowers that are brightly colored and aromatic usually contain nectars, nectar being a sugar rich liquid that provides valuable food for the insects. So being the way sort of a motivator for the insects to come get the sugar rich food and then carry pollen from flower to flower. So all of these are ways that attract insects to flowers. So our correct answer is Choice D. All of the above. So that was a pretty straightforward one. We'll see you in the next video