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Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are fungi which grow on, and into, the roots of plants - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 5 - 2017 - Paper 1
Question 5
Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are fungi which grow on, and into, the roots of plants. AMF can increase the uptake of inorganic ions such as phosphate. 1. Sugges... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are fungi which grow on, and into, the roots of plants - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 5 - 2017 - Paper 1
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 can enhance plant growth by facilitating the synthesis of essential energy-carrying molecules such as ATP, which is crucial for various metabolic processes.
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 more plant material is being produced, contributing to the overall growth and productivity of the ecosystem. This increased biomass serves as a direct measure of net primary productivity, as it reflects the balance between the rate of photosynthesis and the rate of plant respiration.
Step 4
Using the data from Figure 5, evaluate the effect on plant productivity of adding AMF species and adding phosphate to the soil.
Answer
The data from Figure 5 suggests that adding AMF species, such as Glomus claroideum and Entrophospora infrequens, positively affects shoot biomass, especially in soils with higher phosphate concentrations. The increase in shoot biomass with the additional phosphate indicates that both AMF species and phosphate play a significant role in enhancing plant productivity, with the effect being more pronounced for AMF species in the nutrient-rich conditions.
Step 5
Using the e^x button on your calculator, determine the rate of shoot biomass production in grams per day for the control plot in soil with normal phosphate concentration.
Answer
Using the e^x button, calculate the shoot biomass from the control plot, which was approximately 1 g after 20 days. Therefore, the rate of shoot biomass production is approximately