Suppose George Washington completely removed the bark from around the base of a cherry tree but was stopped by his father before cutting the tree down. The leaves retained their normal appearance for several weeks, but the tree eventually died. The tissue(s)that George left functional was/were the
A) phloem.
B) xylem.
C) cork cambium.
D) cortex.
E) companion and sieve-tube members.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The xylem is responsible for transporting water and nutrients from the roots to the rest of the tree, and is critical for the tree's survival. By removing the bark, George likely damaged the phloem, which is responsible for transporting sugars from the leaves to the rest of the tree. However, the xylem would still have been functional initially, allowing the tree to continue to receive water and nutrients. Over time, however, the damage to the phloem would have caught up with the tree, ultimately causing its death.

Suppose George Washington Completely Removed the Bark from Around the Base