Blight fungus kills U.S.chestnut trees because the trees ____________.
A)have not coevolved with the fungus
B)have not matured long enough to survive
C)are hosts to the vectors of the fungus
D)release the fungus in the leaves that fall to the ground and the fungus is absorbed in the soil
E)release the fungus into the soil and it is drawn up in the roots

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) is a pathogen that was accidentally introduced from Asia to North America, where chestnut trees (Castanea dentata) had not coevolved with this disease. As a result, the American chestnut population was decimated and nearly wiped out. The fungus grows on the bark, cambium, and wood of the tree, causing cankers that girdle and kill the stems and branches. Therefore, the best choice is A, because the fungus is not a natural pathogen of American chestnut trees, which have no genetic defenses against it.

Blight Fungus Kills U