The ground level of a forest is quite dark because the leaves of the tall trees block out most of the sunlight. Plants at the ground level compete for sunlight as well as for water and mineral resources. One population of plants growing under the trees has a variation in its leaves. Which statement explains a variation in the leaves that aﬀects the plants’ probability of surviving at the ground level of this forest?

Variation in size and shape of the leave will affect the plant probability to survival. The little light that penetrates into the ground floor is what the plant uses in photosynthesising, ability of the plant to grow in such direction so as to trap the light determines their rate of photosynthesis. If the leave is wide enough to trap sunlight form different angle it better helps the plant to grow but when the leave is small and other plants leaves have over shadow it then the surviving rate is low.

Also, the shape of the leave a broad leave plant and a narrow leave plant, a broad leave will likely trap sunlight first this is due to the leave orientation.