As fungi play important roles in ecosystem processes as decomposers and symbiont partners, scientists are interested in understanding how global climate change may affect fungal diversity. In 2007-2008, scientists visited the maritime Antarctic, an area of the Southern Hemisphere that is noted to be warming the fastest, to conduct a survey of fungal diversity along a climatic gradient (the most prevalent weather conditions of a region along an incline). Twenty-nine soil samples were taken along the gradient. Fungal diversity was measured in operational taxonomic units (OTUs); one OTU = one cluster, or group, of organisms. Here is a portion of the data collected:

Source: Newsham, K. K., Hopkins, D. W., Carvalhais, L. C., Fretwell, P. T., Rushton, S. P., O'Donnell, A. G., & Dennis, P. G. (n. d.). Relationship between soil fungal diversity and temperature in the maritime Antarctic. Nature Climate Change, 6, 182-186.
In this frigid Antarctic region, there is a thin soil layer that defrosts during the year. However, the rest of the soil in the region, called permafrost, stays frozen. Which of the following characteristics would best help plants to survive in this soil-poor climate?

1. evascular tissue system that allows for faster transport of nutrients
2. flowers with reduced carpels that allow for development of small ovaries
3. shallow root systems that can grow in the active layer of soil and avoid the permafrost
4. thin seed coat layers that will break if water from the permafrost becomes available for use