Competition in Plants - Challenge Questions

challenge questions; competition in plants

• Q!) what do plants compete with each other for?
• sunlight, for photosynthesis.
• nutrients and minerals to make all the chemical needed in the cells
• space for roots and leaves to grow
• water for photosynthesis, and to keep the tissue rigid.

Competition between offspring

• Q2) Why is important that the seeds are spread out as far as possible from the parent plant?
• A) This is important because if the plant disperses the seeds nearby, the offspring will be in direct competition with the parent. The parent will be larger and settled and so will take a lot of minerals and nutrients from the soil as well as sunlight, forcing the offspring to compete to survive.

Roots of plants

• Q3) How can short roots help a plant to compete successfully?
• A) short, far stretching roots can spread out far and absorb as much water as possible near the surface of the soil instead of deep down.

Dandelions

• Q4) How do the fluffy parachutes of dandelions help the seeds to spread out?
• A) The dandelion seeds are small and lightweight, and the shape allows the wind to carry them far away easily.
• Additionally, a lot of people blow out the seeds on these plants too, helping to disperse the seeds.

Throwing shade

• Q6) How can plants overcome the problem of growing in another plant's shade?
• A) They can have a large surface area of their leaves, to maximise the sunlight they do get. Some plants have creepers that climb on objects, and roots can be deep and long/ shallow and far-stretching to get as much water, minerals, and nutrients as possible.

Bluebells, anemones, and snowdrops

• Q7) How do plants such as bluebells grow successfully despite being under the shade of large trees in a wood?
• A) Blue bells, anemones, and snowdrops all flower, disperse their seeds, and die out before the larger trees grow leaves.
• By doing this, they avoid the prevention of sunlight because there is enough light shining through the branches. Dormant trees don't take up a lot of minerals or nutrients, or water from the soil, either.

Seed dispersal

• Q8) Give three examples of successful adaptions for spreading seeds.
• 1) some seeds are so small and light they are carried easily by wind
• 2) some seeds are sticky or covered in hooks so they get stuck on fur of animals
• 3) some plants use mini explosions to disperse their seeds