A species of saltbush, Atriplex lentiformis, has a geographic distribution inclu

Question

A species of saltbush, Atriplex lentiformis, has a geographic distribution including coastal mountains and deserts. In a classic set of experiments, Robert Percy (emeritus from UC Davis) took Saltbush cuttings from both a coastal population and a desert population. He grew the cuttings into full sized plants in hot, desert like environment and measured the photosynthetic performance curves of these full sized plants with respect to temperature. He found that the plants coming from the desert population had optimal photosynthetic rates at higher temperatures than the plants coming from the coastal population. This is likely an example of n which wer adaptation; evolutionary change in genotype improved performance acclimation; evolutionary change in genotype improved performance acclimation; change in phenotype within an individual's lifetime improved performance adaptation; change in phenotype within an individual's lifetime improved performance adaptation; developmental change improved performance

Explanation / Answer

1) In case of Atriplex lentiformis, the answer is

This is an example of acclimation in which change in phenotype within an individuals lifetime improved performance.

Adaptation on other hand is a genotypic change and occurs through evolution. In present case the plant species is same and has same genotype whether it is from coastal or desert origin and has just got a change in habitat and so it is an example of acclimation.

2) Max Kleiber's work......

The correct answer is Max Kleiber's work shows that metabolic rate of an organism is proportional to body mass raised to the 3/4 power. If organisms can acquire resources proportional to area of territory, then population densities should be proportional to body mass raised to the -3/4 power.

This is so because the population density is proportional to the reciprocal of metabolic rate and hence the power in case of population density is negative.

Leibeg's law of minimum states that production rate is determined by the most limiting resource.

This can be explained by taking a simple example that if soil is deficient in a particular mineral than that acts as a limiting resource and hence effects the overall growth (production). So, for the optimum growth all the essential factors are required in sufficient amount which includes water as well as sunlight.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.