To accurately determine the correct response regarding the population of plants changing over time, it is important to consider the modes of reproduction.
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"The offspring receive genes from one parent." - This statement suggests asexual reproduction, where one parent contributes to genetic material.
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"The plants reproduced by asexual reproduction." - This reaffirms the previous statement.
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"The plant population reproduced through vegetative reproduction." - This is a specific type of asexual reproduction where new plants grow from parts of the parent plant (e.g., runners, tubers).
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"The plants probably reproduced by sexual reproduction." - This would indicate genetic variation as offspring would receive genes from two parents.
Given the options, if the focus is on how the population of plants can change over time, sexual reproduction typically introduces genetic variation due to mixing of genes from two parents, potentially leading to evolutionary changes.
If you're looking for the option that is most likely to lead to changes in the population over time, the best choice would be:
"The plants probably reproduced by sexual reproduction."
This option implies genetic diversity which can affect the population dynamics over time.