Question

Two different plant species expend approximately the same amount of energy on reproduction, yet one produces many seeds in a season and the other produces very few. Explain what is likely to be true of the seeds of these two species.

a. In the plant species that produces many seeds, most of the energy is used to produce seeds, of which only a few will germinate and produce another plant. In the species that produces few seeds, most of the energy is used to increase the chances of seeds produced to germinate and grow into an adult plant.
b. In a plant species that produces many seeds, most of the energy is used to produce seeds, most of which will germinate and produce another plant. In a species that produces few seeds, most of the energy is used to increase the chances of seeds produced to germinate and grow into an adult plant.
c. In a plant species that produces many seeds, most of the energy is used to produce seeds, of which only a few will germinate and produce another plant. In a species that produces few seeds, most of the energy is used to reduce the chances of seeds produced to germinate and grow into an adult plant.
d. In a plant species that produces many seeds, most of the energy is used to increase the chances of seeds produced to germinate and grow into an adult plant. In a species that produces few seeds, most of the energy is used to produce those seeds, which will germinate and produce another plant.

Answer 1

The plant species that produces many seeds tends to invest energy into making a large number of seeds with lower individual survival chances, while the species that produces few seeds invests more energy into each seed to increase its chances of survival and growth.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering two different plant species that expend approximately the same amount of energy on reproduction, yet one produces many seeds while the other produces very few, it's important to look at the energy investment and the likely outcomes for the seedlings. In the species that produces many seeds, the energy is primarily used to produce a large number of seeds, each containing relatively little stored energy, resulting in a lower individual chance of germination and survival (high fecundity but low probability of seedling establishment).

Conversely, in the species that produces few seeds, a greater portion of the energy is invested into each seed to increase its size, nutrient content, and the protective measures it may possess, thereby enhancing the likelihood that those few seeds will successfully germinate and grow into mature plants (low fecundity but high probability of seedling establishment). This is an example of a trade-off in reproductive strategies where plants either produce many small seeds with low chances of survival or few energy-rich seeds with higher chances of survival.