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Seed dormancy lets a plant disperse its progeny in a way animals cannot. In what way?
AThrough space, by moving them further
BThrough time, by waiting for conditions
CThrough soil, by burying them deeper
DThrough water, by floating them away
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Through time, by waiting for conditions
1. Wind, water and animals all disperse seeds through space, much as an animal offspring can move to a new location.
2. Seed dormancy allows plants to disperse their progeny through time instead.
3. Dormant seeds can wait months, years or even decades for the proper conditions for germination.
4. That is something animals cannot do, which is the contrast being drawn.
5. Dispersal through space is exactly what the fruit itself achieves, so the first option names the other half of the strategy.
6. Burial and floating are particular means of moving through space rather than through time.
_Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 32 "Plant Reproduction", section 32.2 Pollination and Fertilization_
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