Competition In Plants Flashcards
What do plants compete for?
Light, water, nutrients and space to grow.
Why do plants need light?
In order to photosynthesise.
Why do plants need water?
For photosynthesis and to keep their tissues rigid and supported.
How do plants that grow in woodlands avoid competition?
They often flower and grow very early in the year as the trees have bare branches and as they are dormant they take very little water out of the soil. There are also nutrients from the previous Autumn.
How can plants use their roots to avoid competition?
Some plants have shallow roots taking water and nutrient near the surface of the soil. Other have long, deep roots, so the two plants don’t affect each other.
If a plant is growing in the shade, what might it do?
It may grow taller to reach the light, or grow leaves with a bigger surface area to take advantage of the light it does get.
How do plants prevent animals from eating them?
They may have thorns. They may make poisons that mean they taste very bitter or make the animals that eat them ill.
How do plants reproduce successfully?
Some use the wind to help them spread their seeds. Some produce seeds with special adaptions for flight (sycamore trees). Some plants use mini-explosions to spread their seeds. Some are eaten by animals then deposited well away from the parent animal. Some have sticky hooks that get caught up in fur and are carried away from the parent plant.
