Question
Which of the following crops should show the LOWEST proportional increase in photosynthetic rate under rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?
The correct answer is
Maize
Crop Photosynthesis Response to Rising \(CO_2\)
The increase in photosynthetic rate when atmospheric carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) levels rise differs between plant types based on their photosynthetic pathway.
- C3 Plants: These plants, like Barley, Rice, and Wheat, often experience $CO_2$ limitation during photosynthesis. Increasing $CO_2$ enhances the efficiency of the enzyme RuBisCO and reduces photorespiration, leading to a significant proportional increase in their photosynthetic rate.
- C4 Plants: These plants, such as Maize, possess a mechanism to concentrate $CO_2$ internally, making them less sensitive to ambient $CO_2$ levels. Consequently, their photosynthetic rate shows a smaller proportional increase under rising $CO_2$.
Crop Classification and \(CO_2\) Response
Based on their photosynthetic pathways:
- Barley: C3
- Maize: C4
- Rice: C3
- Wheat: C3
Since Maize is a C4 plant, it is expected to exhibit the lowest proportional increase in photosynthetic rate compared to the C3 crops (Barley, Rice, Wheat) as atmospheric $CO_2$ levels increase.
Answer: Maize
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Important Questions from Abiotic factors
- Species that co-occur in space and time tend to be similar to each other in traits such as tolerance to heat or to drought. This is most likely because of _________.
- A researcher carried out an experiment to study how daylength and temperature influence diapause in a moth species. He placed larvae in one of four treatment conditions for 2 weeks, with 30 larvae in each condition. The treatments involved two temperatures ($18\text{ }^\circ\text{C}$ or $27\text{ }^\circ\text{C}$) and two lighting conditions (12h:12h Light:Dark (LD) or complete darkness (DD)). At the end of the experiment, he counted the number of larvae that had entered diapause and those that had not. The data are shown below.Which one or more of the following conclusions can he reasonably make from these findings?
Condition Larvae in diapause Larvae NOT in diapause Treatment 1 $27\text{ }^\circ\text{C}$, 12:12 LD 2 28 Treatment 2 $18\text{ }^\circ\text{C}$, 12:12 LD 7 23 Treatment 3 $27\text{ }^\circ\text{C}$, DD 12 18 Treatment 4 $18\text{ }^\circ\text{C}$, DD 29 1 - Terrestrial plants conduct gas exchange through stomata. Having only few stomata on the leaf surface is a common adaptation to which one of the following conditions?
- Some air-breathing marine vertebrates such as whales, seals and marine turtles possess adaptations for long, deep dives. Which one or more of the following is/are examples of such adaptations?
- Which one or more of the following is/are greenhouse gas(es)?
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