Leaves and Insects
Leaves must be adapted to absorb carbon dioxide, but to carry out photosynthesis and eliminate excess oxygen, they must also survive insect attack. The University of Nebraska at Lincoln has an "Insects and their Relatives" web site, with photos of insects actually on leaves. This setting allows you to compare the size of the insect to the size of the leaf, and more importantly, the size of the insect's mouth to the size of the leaf's defensive structures. Examine the photos and think about what structural and chemical defenses the leaves have. Would most of these defenses be effective against all insects? Which defenses might be only temporarily effective, and which might be permanently effective?
Visit the Insects and their Relatives web site
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