Why Did the Flower Bulbs Become Smaller After Flowering?
What happened to the flower bulbs after they flowered?
a. The bulbs were a sugar sink, so water flowed into them and out the roots, washing material from the bulb into the soil.
b. All of the molecules in the bulb were transferred to the above ground shoots.
c. The bulbs were a sugar source; sugars from them traveled up the phloem to the above ground sugar sink.
d. The bulbs gave off water as they produced shoots; their smaller size was due to dehydration.
Answer:
After flowering, the flower bulbs became smaller because they functioned as a sugar source, providing sugars to the above-ground shoots.
The gardener observed that her flower bulbs appeared smaller after they flowered. This occurred because the bulbs functioned as a sugar source, providing sugars to the above-ground shoots through the phloem. The sugars traveled up the phloem to support shoot growth and the production of flowers. As a result, the bulbs lost their stored sugars and became smaller in size.
It's fascinating to see how the process of flowering and providing nutrients to the plant can impact the size of the bulbs. The gardener's observation highlights the intricate mechanisms that occur within plants during their growth and reproductive stages.