Some botanists claim that the earlier flowering observed in city populations of woodland violets reflects phenotypic flexibility—individual plants responding to warmer urban conditions—rather than a fixed genetic difference between urban and rural populations.
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Verbal·Information and Ideas·Command of Evidence
mediumWhich finding, if true, would most strongly support the botanists’ claim?
A
Urban violet populations contain more individual plants than rural populations do.
B
Seeds from urban violets are slightly heavier than seeds from rural violets.
C
Within one growing season, rural violets moved to warm urban plots begin flowering as early as nearby urban violets do.
D
Several urban violet populations grow beside buildings constructed more than a century ago.