Chapter 31 + 32: Plant Nutrition and Reproduction

Question 1

Plant Nutrition

Answer 1

Plants absorb inorganic nutrients and water through their root system, and carbon dioxide from the environment.
- The combination of inorganic compounds along with water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight, produce the energy that allows plants to grow
- Essential elements are indispensable elements for plant growth

Question 2

Plant Growth

Answer 2

is due to macronutrients and micronutrients

Question 3

What is one reason plants need carbon?

Answer 3

Formation of cellulose fibers, the plants can make the fibers themselves, but they need the element from the soil

Question 4

Cellulose

Answer 4

The main structural component of the plant cell wall that makes up over 30% of plant matter
- it is the most abundant organic compound on earth

Question 5

Soil Quality

Answer 5

1. chemistry
2. history
3. topography
4. living organisms

Question 6

Soil can be divided into two groups:

Answer 6

Organic soil - formed from sedimentation and primarily composed of organic matter
Mineral soil - formed from withering rock and primarily composed of inorganic material (dominant in terrestrial ecosystems)

Question 7

What are the three main components of soil?

Answer 7

Inorganic mineral matter - 40-45% of soil volume
Organic matter - 5% of the soil volume
Water and air - 50% of the soil volume

Question 8

Organic soil composition

Answer 8

The organic material of soil, called hummus, is made up of microorganisms (dead and alive) and dead animals and plants in varying stages of decay

Question 9

Inorganic material composition

Answer 9

Sand (.1 to 2mm)
Silt (b/t .002 and 0.1mm)
Clay (less than .002mm)
Loams (no dominant size; mixture of all)

Question 10

Soil profile

Answer 10

Has four distinct layers:
1. O horizon - freshly decomposing organic matter (hummus)
2. A horizon - consists of a mixture of organic and inorganic products of weathering
3. B horizon - mostly fine material that has moved downward, resulting in dense layer in the soil
4. C horizon - soil base (organic and inorganic material broken down to form soil)
5. bedrock

Question 11

Nitrogen Fixation

Answer 11

is the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, exclusively carried out by prokaryotes such as soil bacteria or cyanobacteria

Question 12

What is the most important source of BNF?

Answer 12

symbiotic interaction between soil bacteria and legume plants

Question 13

What do plants rely on to facilitate the uptake of minerals from the soil?

Answer 13

fungi because the narrow hyphae can spread beyond the nutrient depletion zone

Question 14

What is the benefit to fungi?

Answer 14

Fungi can obtain up to 20% of the total carbon accessed by plants. Plants also provide sugars

Question 15

Parasitic plants

Answer 15

Rely on host for nutrients, water, or food
- some have chlorophyll, some do not

Question 16

Saprophyte

Answer 16

is a plant that does not have chlorophyll and gets its food from dead matter, similar to bacteria and fungi
- use enzymes to convert organic food materials into simpler forms from which the can absorb nutrients
- often rely on fungi to digest the dead matter

Question 17

Epiphyte

Answer 17

Plant that grows on other plants but does not rely on the plant for nutrition
- Have two types of roots (clinging aerial roots: absorb nutrients from hummus) and (aerial roots: which absorb moisture from atmosphere)

Question 18

Insectivorious Plants

Answer 18

Plant has specialized leaves to attract and digest insects

Question 19

Which generation of plants do flowers house?

Answer 19

gametophytes

Question 20

Sepals

Answer 20

outermost whorl

Question 21

Petals

Answer 21

second whorl

Question 22

Stamens

Answer 22

Third whorl
- pollen is the male gametophyte
- each stamen has a pollen bearing anther and a filimaent

Question 23

Carpel

Answer 23

innermost whorl
- house the female gametophyte

Question 24

Ovary

Answer 24

contains ovule
- ovary becomes fruit
- ovule becomes seed

Question 25

Stigma

Answer 25

tip where pollen lands

Question 26

Style

Answer 26

neck or stalk leading to ovary

Question 27

Anther

Answer 27

Contains pollen grains (microgametophytes)

Question 28

Filament

Answer 28

holds anther up

Question 29

Where does pollen form?

Answer 29

The anther

Question 30

Pollination

Answer 30

The mechanical transfer of pollen from anther to stigma
- may or may not be followed by fertilization

Question 31

Self pollination

Answer 31

occurs when the pollen from the anther is deposited on the stigma of the same flower, or another flower on the same plant

Question 32

Cross pollination

Answer 32

The transfer of pollen from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another flower on a. different individual of the same species

Question 33

Who are the majority of pollinators?

Answer 33

Biotic agents such as insects (like bees, flies and butterflies), bats, birds, and other animals
Abiotic agents such as wind and water

Question 34

Insects

Answer 34

Shape of flower suits pollinator

Question 35

Bats

Answer 35

Flowers are typically large and bright to be visible at night and allow for the larger head of a bat

Question 36

Birds

Answer 36

Plants are typically sturdier than those pollinated by insects
- flowers are usually separated from other flowers, and are bright and odorless

Question 37

Deception

Answer 37

floral signal, floral odor

Question 38

Why do we want to prevent self pollination?

Answer 38

cross pollination allows for more genetic diversity, plants have developed many different ways to avoid self pollination; such as pollen and ovary maturing at different times, physical features on the flower, male and female flowers are located on different parts of the plant

Question 39

Double fertilization

Answer 39

2 sperm; one sperm unites with egg to form diploid zygote (new sporophyte)
Other sperm unites with the two polar nuclei to form the triploid endosperm (provides nutrients to embryo)

Question 40

3 generations that make up seeds

Answer 40

1. integument parts are parent sporophyte
2. endosperm is parent gametophyte
3. embryo is new offspring

Question 41

Integuments

Answer 41

develop into a relatively impermeable seed coat

Question 42

Seed coat

Answer 42

Encloses the seed with its dormant embryo and stored food
- may remain dormant for many years
- germinate when conditions are favorable

Question 43

Seed and fruit dispersal

Answer 43

seeds contained within fruits need to be dispersed far from the mother plant, so they may find favorable and less competitive conditions in which to germinate and grow

Question 44

Seed adaptations

Answer 44

ensure that seeds will germinate only under appropriate conditions
- some seeds lie within tough cones that do not open until exposed to fire

Question 45

Fruits

Answer 45

During seed formation, the flower ovary begins to develop into fruit
- it is possible for fruits to develop without seed development

Question 46

Asexual reproduction

Answer 46

some plants can produce seeds without fertilization
- either the ovule or part of the ovary, which is diploid in nature, gives rise to new seed

Question 47

Stolon

Answer 47

or runner, is a stem that runs along the ground. At the nodes, it forms adventatious roots and buds that grow into a new plant

Question 48

Grafting

Answer 48

two plant species are used; part of the stem of the desirable plant is grafted onto a root plant called the stock

Question 49

Cuttings

Answer 49

a proportion the stem containing nodes and internodes is placed in moist soil and allowed to root

Question 50

Layering

Answer 50

a stem is bent and covered with soil