Scientists are studying mosses that grow on trees in a forest. At the beginning of the study, the scientists identified twelve moss species in the forest. A forest fire burned the area where the scientists were studying the mosses. When the scientists returned to the area, they found only six moss species had survived.

Question

What could the scientists infer about the fact that only six moss species survived?

Scientists are studying mosses that grow on trees in a forest. At the beginning of the study, the scientists identified twelve moss species in the forest. A forest fire burned the area where the scientists were studying the mosses. When the scientists returned to the area, they found only six moss species had survived.



What could the scientists infer about the fact that only six moss species survived?

Forest fires will permanently remove certain species from the ecosystem.

The biodiversity in a forest increases after a fire.

Certain moss species are better adapted to survive forest fires than others.

Most moss species are unaffected by forest fire.

Answer 1

The scientists could infer that certain moss species are better adapted to survive forest fires than others. This suggests that these particular moss species have evolved characteristics that allow them to survive and even thrive in the aftermath of a fire, while other species are unable to do so. This adaptation may be due to factors such as resistance to heat, ability to quickly regrow after a fire, or the ability to survive in nutrient-poor post-fire conditions.