Seeds Tend to Germinate When Environmental Conditions Are Favorable

Multiple Choice

Seeds tend to germinate when environmental conditions are favorable.What is the most logical reason that the lodgepole pine has evolved cones that open only after exposure to fire?

A) Fire produces new clearings that would reduce competition for light.
B) Fire clears away potential predators of the newly emerging seedlings.
C) Lodgepole pine became established in high-fire-risk zones and evolved a way to protect their seeds until after a fire has passed.
D) Lodgepole pine is fire-tolerant, and the requirement of fire for seed germination is an artifact of the parental generation's fire resistance.
E) Fire-induced seed germination ensures that an entire year will pass before seedlings emerge, ensuring adequate weather conditions for plant survival.