When the bark of a tree is removed in a circular fashion all around near its base, it gradually dries up and dies because
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2011 Prelims]
(a) Water from soil cannot rise to aerial parts.
(b) Roots are starved of energy.
(c) Tree is infected by soil microbes.
(d) Roots do not receive oxygen for respiration.
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Tree Bark
- Bark, often “tree bark” in botany, means the outer covering of woody plants.
- Woody plants, unlike herbaceous plants, create an intricate framework of cells and fibers, which provides significant support and protection.
- The bark is considered an accumulation of several different outer layers of a wood plant.
- It consists of tissues outside the vascular cambium or central bundle of vascular cells.
- These tissues, unlike bark, are fully alive and transfer fluids from the roots to the leaves. Hence, option 2 is correct.
