Adaptations and innovation of land plants - Week 16 Flashcards
Seed plants are called what?
Spermatophytes
Spermatophytes are split into 2 catagories, what are they?
Gymnosperms - seed-producing w no flowers
Angiosperm - seed-producing w flowers
What is homospory?
Produce one type of spore/ gametophyte
example: bryophytes
What is anisospory?
Large and small spores in sporangiu,
Example: extinct barinophyton
What is Heterspory?
Produces two types of spores/ gametophyte
Example; all seed plants, spermatophytes
How did the sporophyte develop with:
The megapores
The microspores
Megaspore - megasporangia - megasporophylls - megagamtophytes (female)
Microspores - microsporangia - microsporophylls - microgametaphytes (male)
Heterospory originated 4 times in different groups, why?
- resource allocation
- increased potential for outbreeding (heterosis)
- protection of gamtophytes (endosporic development)
Is the evolution of heterospory analogous to evolution of oogamy ?
Yeh man
If megaspore is not released what happens?
Germinates in the sporophyte, produces female megagametophyte, essentially acting as ovule
Seeds evolved in a line of what?
Heterosporous progymnosperms that retained their megaspores on the sporophyte
Each megasporagium produces one megaspore, what happens to the others?
the other 2 degenerate
What are some qualities of seed plants - spermatophytes?
- Do not shed megaspores, one megaspre per megasporangium
- Germinates then megagamtophyte in situ
- in enclosed ovule structure
- microspores, pollen, contain microgametophytes, pollen grain
What are the benifits of retaining the megaspores (seed habit)
- reduces requirement of water to fertilize eggs
- protection of female gametophyte and embryo sporophyte
- Nourishment of female gametophyte and embryo sporophyte
When do first seed plants appear?
Carboniferous spore tree, 350 mya, pteridospersm
In early permian 300 mya gynosperms increase into new groups:
cycads, ginkgos,
Climate change caused wide spread aridity thru continent, how did this effect seed plants?
Seed plants better adapted to arid conditions
What are conifers reproductive structure?
Cones
8 families of conifers?
good luck mate
Characteristics of conifers?
- all arborescent
- pollen produces tube to deliver non-motile sperms to ovule
- Pollen consists of 3 cells: tube, stalk, body cell
What is pyrisecence?
Fire stimulated seed dispersal of pine cone (fire melt resin)
What are the Gnetales?
- advanced gynosperms
- many same features as flowing plants
- convergent evolution with: xylem containing vessel, insect-pollinated etc
How do heterosporous microspores and megaspores develop?
Microspores develop into pollen
megaspores develops into female gametophyte enclosed in ovule
Closest known relative of angiospersm?
gymnosperm? Not currently known, fossil record missing
Evolutions of the carpel?
- No archegonia housing egg, highly reduced 7/8 cells
- Hypothesised carpel is just folded over leaf, like all structure in flower (stamen for example)