Question

Helen's in 1980, over 200 square miles of pristine forest were buried under millions of tons of lava, ash, mud, and avalanche debris. Just a year after the eruption, lupine plants are seen on the pumice plain. Lupine is a herbaceous perennial. It is: A Nitrogen Fixer Short-lived Dynamic Accumulator Beneficial Insect Attractor Beneficial Insect Shelter Ground Cover Edible Seeds As the mountain sleeps, wildlife bounces back: gophers are seen, surviving by eating the lupine. The top of Mount St Helen's was considered to be alpine tundra. How can these two organisms, the lupine and the gopher, aid in succession on Mount St. Helen's? A) The lupine is a pioneer species. It adds oxygen to the ecosystem. The gopher relies on the lupine for food and oxygen. B) Both the lupine and the gopher improve air quality; the gopher releases carbon dioxide and the lupine uses the oxygen for photosynthesis. C) The lupine and the gopher act as soil formers by decomposing the lava that is found on Mount ST. Helen's as a result of the volcanic eruption. D) Both the lupine and the gopher improve soil quality; the lupine fixes nitrogen and adds organic matter. The gopher adds organic matter and aerates the soil.

Answer 1

Based on the given scenario above, both the plants Lupine and the Gopher have survived on Mount St. Helen's. This has become possible because both of these plants aid in improving soil quality. The gopher is responsible in adding organic matter and also introduces air to the soil. On the other hand, the lupine is responsible in fixing nitrogen and adds organic matter. Answer is D.

Answer 2

Answer:

D) Both the lupine and the gopher improve soil quality.

Explanation:

The correct Answer is D, the gopher and the lupine are colonizers in this new habitat, and help in the development of the soil quality. Therefore aiding in succession by changing the ecosystem over time, and possibly allowing more types of animals and plants to live there.

Answer B) its not correct because plants use CO2 for photosynthesis not Oxygen.

Answer A) its not correct because the gopher does not rely on the lupine for Oxygen.

Answer C) its not correct because they do not decompose the lava.