What was the effect of root space on plant growth based on the students investigation? Use the data from the table to support your answer. Explain how you would know whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors.
Based on the data from the table provided by the student investigation, it can be observed that plants given more root space generally exhibited better growth in terms of height, number of leaves, and dry weight of the shoots and roots. For example, the plant given 600 cm^2 of root space had a height of 30 cm, 12 leaves, and a total dry weight of 8.5 g, while the plant given only 200 cm^2 of root space had a height of 20 cm, 6 leaves, and a total dry weight of 3.2 g.
This trend suggests that root space has a significant effect on plant growth as plants with more root space were able to grow larger and produce more leaves and biomass compared to plants with limited root space.
To determine whether this effect was likely due to environmental or genetic factors, one could conduct further experiments. For example, by keeping other factors constant (such as light, temperature, water, and nutrient availability) and comparing the growth of genetically identical plants in varying root space conditions, one could determine whether the differences in growth were primarily due to the physical limitations of root space or genetic factors. If the differences in growth persisted regardless of genetic similarity, it would suggest that root space plays a crucial role in plant growth, regardless of genetic factors. On the other hand, if the differences were only evident in plants with different genetic backgrounds, genetic factors would likely be more influential in determining plant growth.