Passage IV
Three studies were conducted to examine the relationship between ants and the acacia trees they inhabit.
Study 1
Table 1 shows the results of a comparison between a species of acacia tree that is inhabited by ants (ant trees) and a species that is not inhabited by ants (non-ant trees).
Study 2
Table 2 shows the results of a comparison between acacia ants and a closely related ant species that does not inhabit acacia trees.
Study 3
Acacia trees were divided into three groups. Acacia ants were removed from the trees in Group A, but were left on the trees in Group B. Group C consisted of a species of non-ant acacia tree. All the trees were initially healthy and of similar size. The number of trees still alive in each group 300 days after the start of the study is shown in Table 3.
Trees in Group A were killed by plant-eating insects and large mammals that ate the leaves on lower branches. There was no evidence that trees in Groups B and C were killed by grazing animals.
20. From the results of Study 2 the researchers would hypothesize that the ground surrounding the ant acacia trees was bare of vegetation because the:
Your Answer is
Correct Answer is F
Explanation
Through table 2, it can be found that non-acacia ants do not eat living plants, so H & J is excluded;
And in table 2, acacia ants eat protein bodies and nectar, so it is possible The explanation is that the acacia ants ate all the plants near the ant trees