Question Coevolution can be seen between some plants and animals, like the yucca plant and the yucca moth. The flowers are shaped specifically so that only the tiny moth can pollinate them. If the yucca moth goes extinct due to climate change or other human-generated factors, what would be the likely outcome for the yucca plant? (1 point)

Question

Question Coevolution can be seen between some plants and animals, like the yucca plant and the yucca moth. The flowers are shaped specifically so that only the tiny moth can pollinate them. If the yucca moth goes extinct due to climate change or other human-generated factors, what would be the likely outcome for the yucca plant? (1 point)

Responses:
The yucca plant would also go extinct.

Humans would have to engineer a way to pollinate the plant.

A new animal would evolve or adapt to take over the job of the yucca moth.

The yucca plant would evolve a new way to be pollinated.

Answer 1

The yucca plant would also go extinct.

Answer 2

The likely outcome for the yucca plant if the yucca moth goes extinct due to climate change or other human-generated factors is that a new animal would evolve or adapt to take over the job of the yucca moth.

Answer 3

The likely outcome for the yucca plant if the yucca moth goes extinct would be that a new animal would evolve or adapt to take over the job of pollinating the yucca plant. This is because coevolution is a dynamic process, where two or more species mutually influence each other's evolution. In the case of the yucca plant and yucca moth, they have coevolved their flower shape and moth mouthparts in a way that allows only the moth to successfully pollinate the plant. If the yucca moth goes extinct, it would create a selective pressure on the yucca plant to find another means of pollination in order to reproduce. Over time, natural selection could favor individuals of the yucca plant species that can attract a new pollinator or develop other mechanisms for successful pollination. Therefore, it is likely that a new animal would evolve or adapt to take over the role of the yucca moth in pollinating the yucca plant.