Question

Why do lichens and mosses get mostly replaced by larger plant species during succession?

Select one:
a. Larger plants are autotrophs, but lichens and mosses are heterotrophs.
b. Larger plants compete for resources like space, sunlight, and soil nutrients more successfully.
c. Larger plants do not use as many resources as lichens and mosses.
d. Larger plants are not edible, so they are more likely to avoid predation.
e. None of these.

Answer 1

Option b. Larger plants compete for resources like space, sunlight, and soil nutrients more successfully.

Explanation:

Large plants takes the place of mosses and lichens because they require more space and extract more nutrients from the soil for their growth and development, so lichens and mosses die. Lichens are a fungus which lives on mosses and get energy from it. When they die, their body release nutrients which mixes in the soil which are important for plants growth.