The American Chestnut, once one of the most prominent trees in American forests, has decreased in the last 100 years due to an i
nfection by a microscopic fungal pathogen, Cryphonectria parasitica. This parasitic fungus was introduced from a variety of Japanese Chestnut that was brought to the United States over 100 years ago. A research group studied some chestnut trees in the national parks around the Washington DC area. The data are summarized in the table above. What best summarizes the phenomenon seen in the data? A) The fungal pathogen has been eradicated and the trees are returning to their normal prominence in the ecosystem. B) The trees have developed resistance to the fungal pathogen and are recovering and growing at a faster rate than before the infection. C) The fungal pathogen and the trees are adapting to each other to form a mutualistic relationship within the ecosystems around Washington DC. D) The fungal pathogen is still infecting trees in the Washington DC area preventing most of them from achieving maximum height and reproductive capacity.
It's D.) The fungal pathogen is still infecting trees in the Washington DC area preventing most of them from achieving maximum height and reproductive capacity.
