Question

How does the thorn adaptation help raspberry bushes?
Select one:
a. The thorns attract animals to eat the fruit
b. The thorns discourage animals from eating the stems**
c. The thorns attract animals to eat the stems
d. The thorns discourage animals from eating the fruit*

Answer 1

I agree if you may select more than one answer.

Answer 2

It says 'select one:' so I have to choose one, obviously. I chose those two answers because I am not sure which one is correct. That is what I am asking, so would it be to discourage eating the stem or the fruit?

Answer 3

Well, which do you think is more important? The fruit or the stem? That should give you your answer

Answer 4

Well the stem, because that's what the thorns are protecting specifically, not the actual fruit, but the thorns can also serve to discourage animals from eating the fruit, since why would animals eat the stem? (By pricking them if they tried to reach into the bush for fruit)

Answer 5

the plant uses tasty fruit as a seed dispersal system
... the seeds pass through an animal digestive tract relatively unchanged

the thorns protect the plant (stems, etc) from predation
... may also select for more "flying" fruit eaters for better seed dispersal

Answer 6

Also I found on the net that camels, raccoons, rabbits, (and others) eat the stems too.

Answer 7

Okay then, so B? Based on what you've given me I'd choose B. Thanks for the help.

Answer 8

The plant needs the wildlife to eat the fruit to promote seed dispersal through... well, poop. if the raspberries didn't have thorns the animals would eat the stems, causing the plant itself to die.

Answer 9

That's why I chose B.