Question

soybeans (glycine max) have long been considered a pollinator - independent crop, because soybeans pollinate whether or not the flowers are visited by pollinating insects. ecologist hannah levenson decided to challenge this assumption: she placed pollinator habitats (plants that provide nectar to bees and structures to create hives) alongside soybean farms in north carolina. this allowed her to compare how the presence of insect pollinators impacts soybean yield. levensons results suggest that

	soybean field without pollinator habitat	soybean field with pollinator habitat
average soybean weight in milligrams	160.0	170.4

which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the conclusion?

a) pollinators neither impact the yield of soybean per acre nor the average weight of a soybean.
b) pollinators dramatically impact the quality and quantity of soybeans.
c) pollinators do not affect the number of soybeans per acre, but may increase the average weight of soybeans harvested.
d) pollinators negatively affect the number of soybeans per acre, but may increase the average weight of soybeans harvested.

Explanation:

The average bushels of soybeans per acre are the same (51.9) in both fields with and without pollinator habitats, indicating no impact on yield per - acre. However, the average soybean weight in milligrams is higher (170.4 vs 160.0) in the field with pollinator habitats, suggesting an increase in the average weight of harvested soybeans.

Answer:

C. pollinators do not affect the number of soybeans per acre, but may increase the average weight of soybeans harvested.