SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY • INTERPRET THE DATA The grass Dichanthelium lanuginosum lives in hot soils and houses fungi of the genus Curvularia as endophytes. Researchers tested the impact of Curvularia on the heat tolerance of this grass. They grew plants without (E−) and with (E+) Curvularia endophytes at different temperatures and measured plant mass and the number of new shoots the plants produced. Draw a bar graph for plant mass versus temperature and interpret it.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the variables: The independent variable is the temperature at which the plants are grown, and the dependent variables are the plant mass and the number of new shoots produced. You will need two sets of data for plants grown with Curvularia endophytes (E+) and without them (E-).
2. Collect the data: Gather the data on plant mass and the number of new shoots for both E+ and E- plants at each temperature setting. This data is essential for plotting the bar graph.
3. Create the bar graph: On the x-axis, plot the different temperature settings. For each temperature, plot two bars side by side - one for the E+ plants and one for the E- plants. The y-axis will represent the plant mass. Use different colors or patterns to distinguish between E+ and E-.
4. Plot a second graph for new shoots: Similarly, plot another bar graph for the number of new shoots produced by E+ and E- plants at each temperature. This will help in comparing how the presence of Curvularia affects the reproductive capacity of the grass under different temperatures.
5. Interpret the graphs: Analyze the bar graphs to determine how the presence of Curvularia endophytes affects the plant mass and shoot production at various temperatures. Look for trends such as increased or decreased growth and reproduction at higher temperatures in E+ versus E- plants.