Specialization can be both limiting and beneficial. How would a plant species benefit from a pollinator that only visits the flowers of that plant species?(1 point)

Responses

the flowers always having a pollinator
the flowers always having a pollinator

less competition for pollinators with other species
less competition for pollinators with other species

less competition for pollinators within the species
less competition for pollinators within the species

decreased self-fertilization, allowing for greater genetic variation
decreased self-fertilization, allowing for greater genetic variation
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1 answer

A plant species can benefit from a pollinator that only visits its flowers in several ways, but one key advantage is:

decreased self-fertilization, allowing for greater genetic variation.

This benefit arises because the specialized pollinator can enhance cross-pollination by transferring pollen between different individuals of the same species. This allows for greater genetic diversity, which can improve the plant's adaptability to changing environments and resistances to diseases.