If a swamp is suddenly drained, what will most likely happen to many of the plants that live there?

Question

If a swamp is suddenly drained, what will most likely happen to many of the plants that live there?

a. they will die because they can not adapt

b. they will change into new species

c. they will change their genetic structure

d. they will remain the same

Answer 1

Probably letter a. , assuming we are talking not of the plants as a 'species' but as individuals. It would take many generations for plants to adapt to a change in environment, and if the swamp were drained 'suddenly' they could not reproduce quickly enough to affect their situation much. Look at what is happening in the everglades.

Answer 2

A...they will die because a swamp is a very difficult place for many organisms to live and the ones that do live there are very specialized in that location...

It would not be B because evolution to a new species would take several generations over a long period of time....this would not happen fast enough if it was drained one day.....

It would not be C because of the same reason as above.  To change your genes takes several generations of natural selection which the plants would not have time to do.  This is known as adaptation because the genetic make up of the organism would be changed, although that will take many generations.  Acclimization is what happens quickly which is when a certain allel or expression of a gene is turned off temporarily.  An example of this would be like in humans how in the middle of the summer a 60 degree day might feel freezing but the same temperature in January would feel down right hot, because we have become acclimated to that seasons temperature....

its not D because the plants would not remain the same because if there was time to adapt or acclimate they would (and once the swamp is drained they will begin to try and do that), but there just isnt enough time....

Answer 3

They will die...........over a period of time new plants will grow there.

Answer 4

It is unlikely that water plants suddenlyu left high and dry would be able to adapt in time.  They would die out, and other dryland species would take their place.

Answer 5

Probably letter b.

Answer 6

All of the answers can be correct.

A. Some plants require an enormous amount of water. Those will die out since they're not able to adapt. This is a short time frame occurance.

B. Depending on the time frame you are talking about, the plants that do not die out due to the decrease in water will most likely evolve to handle to more arid environment. Again the time frame for this maybe a few decades to a few hundred years.

C. This is less likely to occur unless you are looking at a time frame of at least a few hundred years or more. At that point, they would be considered a new species from evolution.

D. Some plants will be able to remain the same. Ferns, for example, have been on this earth since prehistoric times and have lived through many environments, yet their basic structures and genetics are still nearly the same.