10 / 10000 Word Limit (d) Soil organisms, such as mycorrhizal fungi, impact the rate of succession in ecosystems. Mycorrhizal fungi have a mutualistic relationship with various species of plants and
increase the plant growth and survival Sand dunes often lack mycorrhizal fungi and a researcher wanted to determine the effect of adding mycorrhizal species to sand on
disturbed beaches on grass growth. The researcher set up various mycorrhizal communities at disturbed beaches in different locations on the east coast of the United States.
Identify the independent variable in the study

In this experiment, mycorrhizal fungi is considered independent variable.

In this experiment, mycorrhizal fungi is the independent variable because no effect or impact occurs on it due to changes of sand or beaches in the experiment whereas sand or beaches are considered as dependent variable because the sand or beaches show change when the concentration of mycorrhizal fungi changes.

Independent variable is a type of variable which is not dependent on other factors whereas dependent variable depends on other variables so we can conclude that mycorrhizal fungi is independent variable.

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When considering adding mycorrhizal species to the sand of disturbed beaches, to see their effect on grass growth, the independent variable of the study would be the addition of mycorrhizal species to the beach sand.

Explanation:

Mycorrhiza is a symbiosis between fungi species such as Ascomycota, Basidiomycota or Glomeromycota and the roots of a plant, which allows it to take advantage of the inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus found in the soil.

The effect of the symbiosis that rubs the mycorrhiza is to promote the synthesis of nutrients in the plant and improve its growth and development.

In a study in which it is intended to add mycorrhizal fungi to the beach sand to observe the growth of grass, the independent variable of the study will be the addition of mycorrhizae to the sand, while the dependent variable is the growth of grass, the measurable effect.