Question

high-reward flowers that produce nectar with relatively high sugar concentrations are thought to be especially attractive to stripe-throated hermits and other hummingbird species. but when maria a. maglianesi and team monitored hummingbird visits to flowering plants, including palicourea tomentosa, at los cusingos bird sanctuary and other sites in costa rica, they found that visit frequencies werent influenced by nectar traits. rather, physical compatibility of flower corollas (collections of petals) and hummingbird bills more strongly predicted hummingbird-plant interaction patterns.
which statement about hummingbird preferences is most strongly supported by the text?
a. hummingbirds consistently prefer plant species whose flowers have physical traits that are compatible with their bills but offer relatively low nectar rewards.

b. the floral traits that most strongly influence which plant species hummingbirds prefer may result in certain hummingbird species visiting flowers with relatively low nectar rewards over those with higher nectar rewards.

c. hummingbirds’ preferences are primarily driven by trait-matching between their bills and flower corollas, though nectar qualities are a secondary factor driving their preferences.

d. physical compatibility between flower corollas and hummingbird bills becomes an important factor that influences hummingbird preferences when hummingbirds are uncertain about which plants produce high-reward nectar.

a ○

b ○

c ○

d ○

Explanation:

• Option A: The text says visit frequencies aren't influenced by nectar traits, but it doesn't say hummingbirds prefer low - nectar - reward plants, so A is wrong.
• Option B: The study found that physical compatibility (a floral trait) is more important for hummingbird - plant interactions, and nectar traits don't influence visit frequencies. So floral traits (physical compatibility) can lead hummingbirds to visit flowers with low nectar rewards over high - nectar - reward ones, which is supported.
• Option C: The text says visit frequencies weren't influenced by nectar traits, so nectar qualities aren't a secondary factor, C is wrong.
• Option D: The text has no information about hummingbirds being “uncertain” about high - reward nectar plants, D is wrong.

Answer:

B. The floral traits that most strongly influence which plant species hummingbirds prefer may result in certain hummingbird species visiting flowers with relatively low nectar rewards over those with higher nectar rewards.