What is the purpose of the secondary phloem in the plant's bark?
Conducting water and minerals
Conducting food
Providing protection to the stem
Storing food reserves
The removal of bark, including the secondary phloem can cause serious injury to the plant as it restricts the conduction of food. The secondary phloem is responsible for transporting sugars and other nutrients from the leaves to other parts of the plant. Its removal disrupts the flow of food, leading to detrimental effects on the plant's health. Hence, option 2 is the correct answer.