You are conducting an experiment to determine whether lichen populations are affected by local airborne pollutants. Which of the following observations would best support your hypothesis that high levels of pollutants in rainwater cause a reduction in lichen abundance:
it's not b or e
a. lichens growing in areas with high levels of SO2 tend to grow in smaller, but more numerous colonies
b. areas with high NO2 levels tend to have fewer of the species of tree that lichens prefer to grow on
c. lichens are abundant where rainfall has been determined to be low in dissolved pollutants
d. lichens in suspected polluted areas have a significant increase in the proportion of sulphur and nitrogen absorbed
e. none of the above observations would support my hypothesis
Where are the possible observations?
o...sorry
a. lichens growing in areas with high levels of SO2 tend to grow in smaller, but more numerous colonies
b. areas with high NO2 levels tend to have fewer of the species of tree that lichens prefer to grow on
c. lichens are abundant where rainfall has been determined to be low in dissolved pollutants
d. lichens in suspected polluted areas have a significant increase in the proportion of sulphur and nitrogen absorbed
e. none of the above observations would support my hypothesis
Isn't it d?
no its not d or c either
it is c
To determine whether high levels of pollutants in rainwater cause a reduction in lichen abundance, you need to look for observations that suggest a correlation between pollutants and lichen abundance. Let's evaluate each option:
a. Lichens growing in areas with high levels of SO2 tend to grow in smaller, but more numerous colonies: This observation suggests that lichens are adapting to the presence of SO2 by growing in smaller colonies. However, it does not directly support the hypothesis that high levels of pollutants cause a reduction in lichen abundance.
b. Areas with high NO2 levels tend to have fewer of the species of tree that lichens prefer to grow on: This observation suggests a correlation between NO2 levels and the availability of tree species preferred by lichens. However, it does not directly support the hypothesis that high levels of pollutants cause a reduction in lichen abundance.
c. Lichens are abundant where rainfall has been determined to be low in dissolved pollutants: This observation suggests that lichens thrive in areas with low levels of dissolved pollutants in rainwater. This supports the hypothesis that high levels of pollutants in rainwater cause a reduction in lichen abundance.
d. Lichens in suspected polluted areas have a significant increase in the proportion of sulfur and nitrogen absorbed: This observation suggests that lichens in suspected polluted areas are absorbing higher proportions of sulfur and nitrogen, which indicates exposure to pollutants. This supports the hypothesis that high levels of pollutants cause a reduction in lichen abundance.
Based on the evaluations:
- Option a does not directly support the hypothesis.
- Option b does not directly support the hypothesis.
- Option c supports the hypothesis.
- Option d supports the hypothesis.
Therefore, the correct answer is d. Lichens in suspected polluted areas have a significant increase in the proportion of sulphur and nitrogen absorbed.