To determine the effect of intra-specific competition on the growth of saplings of Eucalyptus dives, an experiment was designed in which two sets of pots were used. In the first set only 1 sapling was planted per pot and in the other set 16 saplings were planted per pot. To check for the effect of intra-specific competition on allocation of resources, a decreasing amount of water was added to each set. The results have been graphically indicated below. Which of the following conclusions can be best drawn from the study ?

Question

To determine the effect of intra-specific competition on the growth of saplings of Eucalyptus dives, an experiment was designed in which two sets of pots were used. In the first set only 1 sapling was planted per pot and in the other set 16 saplings were planted per pot. To check for the effect of intra-specific competition on allocation of resources, a decreasing amount of water was added to each set. The results have been graphically indicated below. Which of the following conclusions can be best drawn from the study ? (A) More resources are allocated to the root during low water conditions (B) Competition for water among individuals of a population causes more root growth as compared to individuals who are growing alone (C) Lesser leaves are formed under low water conditions (D) Root growth is higher in individuals grown singly as compared to individuals in populations

Tardigrade Admin · Accepted Answer

Competition is a sort of rivalry among two or more organisms for obtaining the same resources. The competition among individuals of the same species is called intraspecific competition and among members of different species is called interspecific competition. Intraspecific competition is more severe than interspecific competition due to similar needs. Now, according to the given graph, competition for water in a population leads to more root weight (mg) per leaf area (cm2). This is because competition causes more root growth so that each sapling can derive more water from the pot.