Plants in low nutrient ecosystems tend to
A) grow slowly and allocate more resources to shoots than roots.
B) grow rapidly and allocate more resources to shoots than roots.
C) grow rapidly and allocate more resources to roots than shoots.
D) grow slowly and allocate more resources to roots than shoots.
E) grow rapidly and allocate equal resources to roots and shoots.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In low nutrient ecosystems, plants have to allocate more resources to the roots to increase their efficiency in absorbing nutrients from the soil. This leads to slower growth, but it allows the plants to survive in nutrient-poor environments. Therefore, plants in low nutrient ecosystems tend to grow slowly and allocate more resources to roots than shoots.

Plants in Low Nutrient Ecosystems Tend to