Question

The dispersion pattern of competing plants often appears

A. random
B. regular
C. clumped
D. fragmented

Answer 1

Competing plants often display a clumped dispersion pattern where individuals are grouped together, reflecting how they interact with their environment and each other.

Step-by-step explanation:

The dispersion pattern of competing plants can vary, but among the options provided, the dispersion pattern often appears clumped. This pattern is observed in plants that drop their seeds directly underneath them, like oak trees, where seeds germinate close to the parent plant.

The clumped distribution is also common in animal species that live in social groups, such as schools of fish or herds of elephants, and can be influenced by the heterogeneity of their habitat. While other patterns like random and uniform distribution exist, with dandelions and penguins as examples respectively, the question specifically refers to plants that compete, and these typically exhibit a clumped dispersion due to direct dropping of their seeds or other factors that cause them to grow in grouped patches.

Answer 2

The dispersion pattern of competing plants often appears clumped, especially in species that drop seeds beneath them or exhibit social group behaviors. correct option in the final answer is C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The dispersion pattern of competing plants is often seen as uniform, random, or clumped. When plants secrete substances that inhibit the growth of nearby individuals, such as the toxic chemicals released by the sage plant Salvia leucophylla, they exhibit a uniform dispersion pattern.

This phenomenon, where plants affect each other's growth, is known as allelopathy. Dandelion and other plants with wind-dispersed seeds that germinate wherever they land in a favorable environment exemplify a random dispersion. Finally, a clumped dispersion pattern may be observed in species such as oak trees that drop their seeds directly beneath them, or in social animals like elephants that move in groups.

Given this information, it is most accurate to say that the dispersion pattern of competing plants often appears clumped, because plants like oaks and animals that live in groups like elephants exhibit this pattern. Clumped patterns can be due to the direct drop of seeds or social behaviors that result in groups or herds.