In the nature, which of the following is/are most likely to be found surviving on a surface without soil?
- 1. Fern
- 2. Lichen
- 3. Moss
- 4. Mushroom
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
1 and 4 only
2 only
2 and 3
1, 3 and 4
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2021
– Mosses are simple plants that can grow in various environments, including on rocks, walls, and bark, often requiring moisture but little or no soil. They can survive on thin layers of accumulated organic matter or damp surfaces.
– Ferns are vascular plants that typically require soil for their roots. While some ferns can grow epiphytically on trees, they generally require some form of accumulated organic matter or moisture-retaining substrate, not just a bare surface without soil.
– Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi. Fungi are heterotrophic and obtain nutrients by decomposing organic matter or through parasitic/symbiotic relationships. While some fungi grow on wood (which isn’t soil but is an organic substrate they consume), they are not typically found *surviving* on bare inorganic surfaces like rock or concrete without any organic matter present.