Use the Following Information When Answering the Corresponding Questions)

Multiple Choice

Use the following information when answering the corresponding questions) .
There is much discussion in the media about protecting biodiversity, but does it really matter? Canadian and Swiss researcher to know if the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi AMF) was important to the productivity of grasslands M.G.A. van d Heijden, J. N. Klironomos, M. Ursic, P. Moutoglis, R. Streitwolf- Engel, T. Boler, A. Wiemken, and I. R. Sanders. 1998. Mycorrh fungal diversity determines plant biodiversity, ecosystem variability and productivity. Nature 396:69- 72) . Specifically, they wanted to know if it mattered which specific AMF species were present, or just that some type of AMF was present. They grew various plants in combination with one of four AMF species, no AMF, or all four AMF species together; and they measured plant growth under each set of conditions. All plant species were grown in each plot, so they always competed
with each other with the only difference being which AMF species were present. Use the graphs in Figure 31.4 to answer the questions that follow. Note that the x- axis labels indicate the number and identity of AMF species bar 0 = no fungi; bars
A- D = individual AMF species; bar A+B+C+D = all AMF species together) . The y- axis indicates the amount grams) of plant biomass for the species shown in italics above each graph.
Figure 29.4
-Which of the following best explains the data given in graph b) of Figure 29.4 about Lotus corniculatus?

A) This plant grows best when AMF taxa A or C are present.
B) This plant forms multiple AMF associations, growing best with increased fungal diversity.
C) Mycorrhizal fungi parasitize the plant's roots when they are present, reducing its growth.
D) Lotus corniculatus does not form mycorrhizal associations.