Tropisms are growth responses that allow plants to orient themselves in relation to environmental stimuli. They help plants survive by enabling them to grow toward or away from specific factors that are essential for their growth and survival. Here’s how the provided options relate to tropisms:
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Plants grow together with other plants: While this can occur due to shared light and nutrients, it is not directly related to tropisms.
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Plants limit their needs in harsh conditions: This statement doesn’t directly pertain to tropism, as tropisms are specific directional growth responses to stimuli.
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Plants create their own food using chlorophyll: This is a description of photosynthesis, not tropism.
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Plants grow toward things they need: This is the correct statement. Tropisms help plants grow toward light (positive phototropism), water (positive hydrotropism), and gravity (positive geotropism). This ability to grow toward essential resources increases their chances of survival by optimizing conditions for photosynthesis, hydration, and structural stability.
So, the most relevant answer to how tropisms help plants survive is: Plants grow toward things they need.