Question

A gardener wants to test two different types of grass in his backyard. The two types are rye grass and Zoysia grass. The gardener divides his yard into two equal sections and plants rye grass on one side and Zoysia grass on the other. Both types of grass receive equal amounts of water and sunlight. Over several months, the gardener notices that he has to mow the rye grass more often than he has to mow the Zoysia grass because the rye grass grows at a faster rate.

Based on this information, which of the following conclusions can be drawn about the growth rate of grass?
A.
The growth rate of grass is affected by the genes of the grass.
B.
The growth rate of grass is random and cannot be predicted.
C.
The growth rate of grass is controlled completely by the environment.
D.
The growth rate of grass remains constant despite environmental conditions.

Answer 1

A.

Because both plots had the same water and sunlight but showed different growth rates, the difference must come from the grasses themselves (their inherited traits/species — i.e., genetics). The other choices are contradicted by the controlled-environment observation.