Plant Biology and Ecology Concepts

What significant change occurred on Earth after plants began to spread around 500 million years ago?

• The planet became entirely covered in water.

• New types of animal life co-evolved with plants.

• All existing animal life disappeared.

• The atmosphere became toxic to most life forms.

What did the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle believe about plants?

• Plants could feel emotions and react to things.

• Plants had senses similar to animals.

• Plants had no senses or ability to react or perceive things.

• Plants communicated through complex chemical signals.

How might plants communicate with each other through their roots?

• By sending electrical signals through the soil.

• By secreting carbon-based molecules to warn about poor conditions.

• By physically touching each other's roots.

• By releasing sounds that travel through the soil.

What makes moon dirt unsuitable for growing plants compared to Earth's soil?

• It contains too much water and organic matter.

• It lacks essential nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus and contains harmful glass shards.

• It is too soft and cannot support plant roots.

• It has an extremely high temperature that burns plants.

What was observed about Arabidopsis plants grown in real moon dirt compared to imitation moon dirt?

• They grew larger and healthier.

• They were smaller, purplish, and showed signs of stress.

• They did not sprout at all.

• They required more water to grow.

What is the primary focus of ethnobotany?

• Studying how plants adapt to different climates.

• Investigating the genetic makeup of various plant species.

• Examining how different cultures use local plants for various purposes.

• Developing new plant-based medicines in laboratories.

Why is relying on only a few crop species for food a problem?

• It makes food taste less interesting.

• It leads to an oversupply of certain foods.

• It makes populations vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition if those crops fail.

• It requires more land for farming.

How can plants help reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to food production?

• By absorbing more sunlight.

• By being used to create plant-based meat substitutes.

• By growing faster in warmer temperatures.

• By producing more oxygen.