Question

question 22 what is the meaning of variability in paragraph 16? a. changeability b. competition c. efficiency d. reliability. text context: why is fascinated by how staghorns form colonies in the wild, where members perform different, individual tasks. however, he notes, when grown in soil as ornamental plants, these ferns don’t need a community. they now form individual strap fronds. such variability is not typical of eusocial species, he says. burns says he’s really excited to have found something in the wild that unexpectedly turns out to be comparable to some of the coolest, most advanced societies in the living world. and regardless of how eusocial these ferns are, they still have intriguing similarities and differences from caste - forming animals, he adds. text: these ferns may be first plants known to work together as ants do by jake buehler. © science news explorers, july 1, 2021. adapted with permission. image: untitled by timothy dykes is licensed under cc0. notes: 1. social groups 2. assists

Explanation:

To determine the meaning of "variability", we analyze the context. The text says staghorns form colonies in the wild with different tasks but as ornamental plants, they form individual fronds. This shows a change in their behavior/structure. "Changeability" (option A) aligns with this idea of being able to vary or change. "Competition" (B) is about rivalry, "efficiency" (C) about effectiveness, and "reliability" (D) about consistency, none of which fit the context of the ferns' different forms/behaviors.

Answer:

A. changeability