Question

one mutualistic relationship that we, as humans, depend greatly on is the interaction between bees and the flowers they help pollinate. while bees receive nectar from flowers, they are also able to spread the plant’s pollen and help it reproduce. without bees many flowering plants would not be able to reproduce and could become extinct. many of the foods we eat today are produced from crops that reproduce in this way. in fact, about 84% of crops consumed by humans are from plants pollinated by bees. that’s over 400 different varieties of crops!

this close relationship between bees and the plants they pollinate has led each to make adaptations. the flowering plant for example has, over time, developed more attractive displays, odors and other traits to help attract pollinators such as bees. as the flowers with the most attractive displays have a higher chance of spreading their pollen and reproducing, these traits become more common.

based on your observations, what impact can mutualism or mutualistic relationships have over time?

mutualism makes the organisms involved weaker over time.

mutualism makes both organisms worse at adapting to their environment.

mutualism makes one of the organisms involved weaker and the other stronger.

mutualism can allow both organisms to develop traits or adaptations to survive their environments.

mutualism can not change either organism over time.

Explanation:

The text describes the mutualistic relationship between bees and flowers, where flowers developed attractive traits to attract pollinators (bees) over time, and bees get nectar. This shows that mutualism leads to adaptations for survival. Let's analyze each option:

• "Mutualism makes the organisms involved weaker over time": The example shows traits that help survival, not weakness. Eliminate.
• "Mutualism makes both organisms worse at adapting to their environment": The flower's adaptations show better adaptation. Eliminate.
• "Mutualism makes one of the organisms involved weaker and the other stronger": The relationship benefits both, not one weakening. Eliminate.
• "Mutualism can allow both organisms to develop traits or adaptations to survive their environments": Matches the example (flowers' attractive traits, bees' pollination benefits leading to survival - related adaptations).
• "Mutualism can not change either organism over time": The flower's adaptations show change. Eliminate.

Answer:

Mutualism can allow both organisms to develop traits or adaptations to survive their environments.