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Have you considered evolutionary selection as reason for c4 not being adapted by trees? Grasses profit much more from growing quick than trees, where new oppor
by go_elmo 4y ago
Have you considered evolutionary selection as reason for c4 not being adapted by trees?
Grasses profit much more from growing quick than trees, where new opportunities (e.g. trees dying, fires etc) are rather rare & being able to grow extremely quickly wouldn't provide much of a benefit?
- justinclift 4y ago> ... being able to grow extremely quickly wouldn't provide much of a benefit? After any substantial ground clearing event (eg bushfire, etc), wouldn't the subsequent "winners" be those who grew the fastest to capture the available sunlight + suppress their competitors?
- thriftwy 4y agoThere are multiple waves of succession in trees. So no, being the first does not give you a clear advantage. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_succession https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_succession
- WalterBright 4y agoSo true. I live in an area that was clearcut a century ago. The battle of the first movers vs the usurpers is well underway if you know what to look for. It's a fight to the death, in very very slow motion.
- justinclift 4y agoThanks, that's interesting. :)