Question

Why is shade avoidance an important survival mechanism for plants? Would you expect seeds with large energy storage to display as strong a response of shade avoidance as small seeds with limited reserves?

a) Shade avoidance ensures optimal photosynthesis; large-seeded plants would exhibit a stronger response.
b) Shade avoidance prevents water loss; small-seeded plants would exhibit a stronger response.
c) Shade avoidance prevents predation; large-seeded plants would exhibit a stronger response.
d) Shade avoidance helps in temperature regulation; small-seeded plants would exhibit a stronger response.

Answer 1

Shade avoidance is vital for ensuring seedlings can access light needed for photosynthesis. Large-seeded plants have enough reserves to sustain growth in shade, while small-seeded plants with limited reserves show a stronger shade avoidance response to reach light quickly.

Step-by-step explanation:

Shade avoidance is an important survival mechanism for plants because it ensures that seedlings growing in the shadows of mature plants can reach sufficient light to promote photosynthesis. The response to shade avoidance can differ depending on the size of the seed's energy reserves. Large-seeded plants have more stored resources that can support growth for longer periods, enabling them to sustain growth until their seedlings reach enough light for photosynthesis. On the contrary, small-seeded plants with limited reserves might be expected to exhibit a stronger shade avoidance response to quickly escape the shaded environment and maximize their chances of survival before their reserves run out.

Considering this, the response to the question would be similar to statement 'c' from the provided reference material; however, with a key difference in emphasizing that large seeds would have less urgency for a strong shade avoidance response compared to small seeds because of their ample energy reserves allowing them to sustain growth for a longer duration.