Answer:
The correct answer is "the presence of secondary xylem as wood tissue".
Step-by-step explanation:
The missing options of this question are:
A. runner roots that produce new plants by vegetative propagation
B. the use of large sugary fruits to attract animals
C. the presence of secondary xylem as wood tissue
D. the use of pollinating insects, such as bees
The correct answer is option C. "the presence of secondary xylem as wood tissue".
Temperate forest plants have a few adaptations that help them to disperse its population, however, the presence of secondary xylem as wood tissue is not one of them. The adaptation of developing a secondary xylem as wood tissue serves the plant as a defense system. Numerous studies report that trees with secondary xylem as wood tissue have less propensity of developing fungal and bacterial infections.