greenland’s climate is a challenging one in which to grow crops. the norse vikings first settled greenland during a warmer than average period (similar to today’s temperatures), but farming there still would have been challenging. one of the crops that the vikings grew was barley, a cold-tolerant grain. barley can grow in a cool climate, but it will stop growing at temperatures below 40 °f. the crop needs around 15 inches of rain over the growing season; production will decline with less rain.

a: greenland: average monthly precipitation b: greenland: average monthly temperature

karr, scientific american: environmental science for a changing world, 4e, © 2021 w h freeman and company.

based on the stated growing requirements for barley, which factor most limits barley productivity in norsaq, greenland?

○ monthly average temperatures below 40 °f
○ monthly minimum temperatures below 32 °f
○ insufficient average monthly rainfall
○ insufficient minimum hours of sunshine

Question

greenland’s climate is a challenging one in which to grow crops. the norse vikings first settled greenland during a warmer than average period (similar to today’s temperatures), but farming there still would have been challenging. one of the crops that the vikings grew was barley, a cold-tolerant grain. barley can grow in a cool climate, but it will stop growing at temperatures below 40 °f. the crop needs around 15 inches of rain over the growing season; production will decline with less rain.

a: greenland: average monthly precipitation  b: greenland: average monthly temperature

based on the stated growing requirements for barley, which factor most limits barley productivity in norsaq, greenland?

○ monthly average temperatures below 40 °f
○ monthly minimum temperatures below 32 °f
○ insufficient average monthly rainfall
○ insufficient minimum hours of sunshine

Accepted Answer

# Brief Explanations:
1. Analyze the temperature data (Graph B): The average monthly temperatures (blue bars) are all above 40°F during the growing season (e.g., May - Sep: 39, 51, 60, 66, 64, 55°F), so average temps below 40°F are not a limit. Minimum temps (red bars) – while some are below 32°F, barley stops growing below 40°F, but average temps are above 40°F, so minimum temps below 32°F isn’t the main limit.
2. Analyze precipitation data (Graph A): Barley needs ~15 inches of rain over the growing season. Calculate total precipitation for growing months (e.g., May - Sep: 2.9 + 3.5 + 3.8 + 3.9 + 3.1 = 17.2 inches? Wait, no, wait: Wait, the growing season for barley – let's check the months. Wait, maybe the growing season is when temperatures are suitable (above 40°F, so May - Sep, as average temps in those months are above 40). Now sum the precipitation for those months: May (2.9) + Jun (3.5) + Jul (3.8) + Aug (3.9) + Sep (3.1) = 2.9 + 3.5 = 6.4; 6.4 + 3.8 = 10.2; 10.2 + 3.9 = 14.1; 14.1 + 3.1 = 17.2? Wait, no, maybe I miscalculated. Wait, May is 2.9, June 3.5, July 3.8, August 3.9, September 3.1. Wait, 2.9 + 3.5 = 6.4; +3.8 = 10.2; +3.9 = 14.1; +3.1 = 17.2. Wait, but the problem says "needs around 15 inches". Wait, maybe the growing season is shorter? Or maybe I misread the graph. Wait, the precipitation graph: Jan (2.4), Feb (2.2), Mar (2.4), Apr (2.2), May (2.2? Wait no, wait the first graph: May is 2.9? Wait, no, looking at the first graph (precipitation): Jan:2.4, Feb:2.2, Mar:2.4, Apr:2.2, May:2.9, Jun:3.5, Jul:3.8, Aug:3.9, Sep:3.1, Oct:3.4, Nov:3.0, Dec:? Wait, May is 2.9, Jun 3.5, Jul 3.8, Aug 3.9, Sep 3.1. So sum from May to Sep: 2.9 + 3.5 + 3.8 + 3.9 + 3.1 = 17.2 inches. Wait, that's more than 15. Wait, maybe the growing season is different? Or maybe the question is about "insufficient average monthly rainfall" – but the total is enough. Wait, no, maybe I made a mistake. Wait, the other options: "insufficient minimum hours of sunshine" – the graphs don't show sunshine, so that's out. "monthly minimum temperatures below 32°F" – barley stops at below 40°F, but average temps are above 40, so minimum temps below 32 might not be the main limit. Wait, the first option: "monthly average temperatures below 40°F" – but in the temperature graph, average temps (blue) in May is 39°F (oh! Wait, May's average temperature is 39°F, which is below 40°F! Oh, I missed that. May: average is 39°F (below 40), June:51, July:60, Aug:66, Sep:64, Oct:55. So May's average temp is 39°F, which is below 40°F. Barley stops growing at below 40°F. So in May, the average temp is 39, which is below 40, so that would limit growth. Wait, but let's recheck the options:

Option 1: monthly average temperatures below 40°F – May's average is 39, which is below 40. So during May, the average temp is below 40, so barley would stop growing.

Option 2: monthly minimum temperatures below 32°F – the minimum temps (red) in Jan, Feb, etc., are low, but during growing season (May - Sep), minimum temps: May:25, June:40, July:50, Aug:50, Sep:40, Oct:30. Wait, May's minimum is 25, but average is 39. But barley stops at below 40°F (average temp? Or minimum?). The text says "it will stop growing at temperatures below 40 °F" – so any temperature (average or minimum?) Wait, the text says "temperatures below 40 °F" – probably the average or the actual temp. If the average monthly temperature is below 40, that means the overall temperature is too low. So May's average is 39, which is below 40, so that's a limit.

Wait, but let's check the precipitation again. The text says "needs around 15 inches of rain over the growing season; production will decline with less rain." If the total rain over growing season is, say, less than 15, then that's a limit. But from the graph, May (2.9) + Jun (3.5) + Jul (3.8) + Aug (3.9) + Sep (3.1) = 2.9+3.5=6.4; +3.8=10.2; +3.9=14.1; +3.1=17.2. So 17.2 inches, which is more than 15. So precipitation is sufficient.

So the limiting factor is monthly average temperatures below 40°F (since May's average is 39, below 40, so barley stops growing then).

Wait, but let's confirm the options:

- Option 1: monthly average temperatures below 40°F – May's average is 39, so yes.

- Option 2: monthly minimum temperatures below 32°F – during growing season (May - Sep), minimum temps: May:25, June:40, July:50, Aug:50, Sep:40. May's minimum is 25 (below 32), but the text says barley stops at below 40, not 32. So this is not the main limit.

- Option 3: insufficient average monthly rainfall – total is ~17, which is more than 15, so no.

- Option 4: insufficient minimum hours of sunshine – no data on sunshine, so out.

Thus, the correct answer is the first option: monthly average temperatures below 40 °F.
# Answer:
A. monthly average temperatures below 40 °F

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