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1. Suggest one way in which an increase in the uptake of phosphate could increase plant growth - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 5 - 2017 - Paper 2
Question 5
1. Suggest one way in which an increase in the uptake of phosphate could increase plant growth. 2. Suggest one way in which AMF may benefit from their association w... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:1. Suggest one way in which an increase in the uptake of phosphate could increase plant growth - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 5 - 2017 - Paper 2
Step 1
Suggest one way in which an increase in the uptake of phosphate could increase plant growth.
Answer
An increase in the uptake of phosphate could enhance plant growth by increasing the synthesis of nucleic acids and ATP, which are crucial for cellular functions and energy transfer in plants.
Step 2
Step 3
Explain why an increase in shoot biomass can be taken as a measurement of net primary productivity.
Answer
An increase in shoot biomass indicates that a plant is producing more organic matter, which directly correlates to net primary productivity (NPP). NPP is defined as the amount of energy or biomass that remains after accounting for the energy used in respiration. Higher shoot biomass signifies that the plant is effectively converting sunlight and nutrients into growth, thus enhancing overall productivity.
Step 4
Using the data from Figure 5, evaluate the effect on plant productivity of adding AMF species and phosphate to the soil.
Answer
The data from Figure 5 show that the addition of AMF species and phosphate positively influences plant productivity. Specifically, the plots with Entrophospora and Scutellospora exhibit higher shoot biomass compared to the control. This indicates that AMF species enhance nutrient uptake and plant health. Furthermore, the 2x phosphate concentration amplifies this positive effect, demonstrating that higher phosphate levels coupled with AMF lead to significantly increased plant growth.
Step 5
Using the ‘e^’ button on your calculator, determine the rate of shoot biomass production in grams per day for the control plot with normal phosphate concentration.
Answer
To determine the rate of shoot biomass production, calculate the biomass at the end of the observation period and divide by the number of days. If the control plot's biomass is indicated as 1.2 g log scale, then converting this back from log would yield approximately 15.85 g. Over 20 days, the production rate is: ext{Rate} = rac{15.85 ext{ g}}{20 ext{ days}} = 0.7925 ext{ g/day}.