Plants in nutrient-poor soils adapt in various ways to obtain essential nutrients. Carnivorous plants develop specialized structures to trap and digest insects for nitrogen, while legumes form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Additionally, some plants establish mutualistic associations with fungi to enhance nutrient uptake, ensuring their survival in challenging environments.

1. Explain two (2) alternative ways in which plants can obtain nutrients when they live in nutrient
poor soils.
Solution
When plants live in nutrient poor soils they develop specific adaptations to obtain nutrients. For
example, carnivorous plants such as Nepenthes, Dionea, Urticularia, that are growing in nitrogen
poor soils developed modified leaves into pitchers, fly traps and urticles that can trap insects and
enzymes produced in these structures digest them. Some plants like legumes develop symbiotic
association with nitrogen fixing bacteria like Rhizobium and form root nodules. The plants
provide shelter to bacteria and bacteria fix the atmosphric nitrogen and supply to the plants.
Mangrove plants like Avicennia growing in oxygen poor marshy soils develop aerial roots that
obtain oxygen. Some plants establish mutual relationship with Mycorrhiza (fungus) to obtain
nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous. Therefore, plants develop adaptations for obtaining
nutrients and survival in nutrient poor soil environments.