Biologist Dr. Patel hypothesizes that some plants emit airborne chemical signals that warn neighboring plants of insect attack, prompting defensive responses. Skeptics argue that any apparent signaling is a side effect of physical proximity rather than communication.
Which experimental finding, if true, would most strongly support Dr. Patel's hypothesis against the skeptics?
- A
Damaged plants close their leaves more quickly than undamaged plants.
- B
Plants growing close together share nutrients through fungal networks in the soil.
- C
Some insects are repelled by certain plant chemicals.
- Dcheck_circle
Plants downwind of damaged plants ramped up chemical defenses, while plants upwind, equally close, did not.
Explanation
A pinpoints airborne signaling by showing the asymmetry: only downwind neighbors respond, ruling out shared-soil or general-proximity explanations. B and D are tangential; C is unrelated to airborne signaling.