Question Detail
Question
Fungi, in partnership with algae or cyanobacteria, form lichens. What role do lichens play as pioneer organisms on bare rock?
Correct Answer
Option C is the correct answer.
Detailed Explanation
Lichens are pioneer organisms that can colonize bare rock. Through their growth and chemical secretions, they gradually break down the rock, contributing to the initial stages of soil formation, a process known as pedogenesis. While some fungi can be decomposers or nitrogen fixers (in symbiotic relationships), and some cause disease, their specific role in lichen formation on bare rock is soil formation.
Hint
Think about how life begins on a barren surface.