Canadian and Swiss researchers (van der Heijden et al., 1998)interested in factors affecting biodiversity, grew a variety of grassland plants in combination with one of four arbuscular mycorrhizal (AMF)species, no AMF, or all four AMF species together; and they measured plant growth under each set of conditions. All plant species were grown in each plot, so they always competed with each other with the only difference being which AMF were present. Use the graphs in Figure 31.5 to answer the questions that follow. Note that the x-axis labels indicate the number and identity of AMF species (bar 0 = no fungi; bars A-D = individual AMF species; bar A+B+C+D = all AMF species together). The y-axis indicates the amount (grams)of plant biomass for the species shown in italics above each graph. Graph (e)is the total biomass (grams)of all 11 plant species combined; graph (f)is the biomass of Bromus erectus plants only, separated from the total.

Figure 31.4

Figure 31.5
-Using grams of biomass as an indicator of abundance,which species is most likely the dominant species in this ecosystem (see Figure 31.5)?

Question

Canadian and Swiss researchers (van der Heijden et al., 1998)interested in factors affecting biodiversity, grew a variety of grassland plants in combination with one of four arbuscular mycorrhizal (AMF)species, no AMF, or all four AMF species together; and they measured plant growth under each set of conditions. All plant species were grown in each plot, so they always competed with each other with the only difference being which AMF were present. Use the graphs in Figure 31.5 to answer the questions that follow. Note that the x-axis labels indicate the number and identity of AMF species (bar 0 = no fungi; bars A-D = individual AMF species; bar A+B+C+D = all AMF species together). The y-axis indicates the amount (grams)of plant biomass for the species shown in italics above each graph. Graph (e)is the total biomass (grams)of all 11 plant species combined; graph (f)is the biomass of Bromus erectus plants only, separated from the total.
  
Figure 31.4
  
Figure 31.5
-Using grams of biomass as an indicator of abundance,which species is most likely the dominant species in this ecosystem (see Figure 31.5)?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Based on the graphs, Bromus erectus consistently showed the highest biomass among all plant species and was the only species that showed an increase in biomass when all four AMF species were present. This suggests that Bromus erectus is the dominant species in the ecosystem, at least in terms of biomass.

Canadian and Swiss Researchers (Van Der Heijden Et Al