Lecture 5/6/7/8: Plants Flashcards
Plants can inhibit almost everywhere on land except…
some:
1. mountain tops
2. desert areas
3. polar regions
What is the key for other organisms to survive on earth? Why?
plants; they provide oxygen, food source, a habitat for some organisms
land plants evolved from what?
green algae
what type of green algae is the closest relative to plants?
charophytes
what are the 3 distinct traits that charophytes (type of green algae) that they share with plants?
- rings of proteins
- sperm structure
- phragmoplast
explain the ‘rings of proteins’ trait that charophytes and plants share:
- they both have protein rings in their plasma membranes that make cellulose in the cell wall
- circular, petal shaped arrays
explain the ‘sperm structure’ trait that charophytes and plants share:
shape and structure of the flagellated sperm is very similar
- looks like those big seashell conches
explain the ‘phragmoplast’ trait that charophytes and plants share:
structure that forms during cell division in both
what is phragmoplast?
a structure that forms during cell division
- helps organize the cell’s machinery to form a new cell wall (from cell plate) between the 2 daughter cells
what adaptations enabled the move to land?
- shallow water habitat
- survive dry periods
- layer of durable polymer called “sporopollenin”: prevents zygotes from drying out
what did the move to land provide for plants?
- bright sunlight
- carbon dioxide from air versus water
- soil had abundant of mineral nutrients
- initially less predators and pathogens
what were some challenges plants faced when they moved to land?
- relative scarcity of water
- lack of structural support against gravity
what adaptations enabled plants to overcome the challenges faced when they moved to land?
- Alternation of generations
- Multicellular, dependent embryos
- Walled spores produced in sporangia
- Multicellular gametangia
- Apical meristerms
what does ‘alternation of generations’ mean?
means that plants alternate between two different life stages or generations:
- Gametophyte (haploid stage)
- Sporophyte (diploid stage) DOMINANT
which stage is dominant for plants? Sporophyte or Gametophyte?
Sporophyte: the visible plant is diploid (the tip of the plant and stem, the ‘end’ of the process)
explain gametophyte stage for plants
prominent life stage where the entire plant body is haploid, where the plant produces gametes directly. (the roots- beginning of the process)
in general, how does the alternation of generations work?
- a male gametophyte and a female gametophyte produce gametes (sperm and eggs)
- they combine in fertilization to form a diploid plant, a sporophyte
- the sporophyte grows and produces spores through meiosis
- the spores germinate into a new gametophyte
repeat
multicellular plant embryos develop from what?
zygotes that are retained within tissues of the female parent
why are land plants also known as embryophytes?
because of the significant derived trait of the multicellular dependent embryo
what does the parent provide to the embryo for plants?
nutrients (sugars/amino acids)
plant spores are _____ reproductive cells that grow into ____________ by ______.
- haploid
- gametophytes
- mitosis
what makes the walls of spores very tough/resistant to harsh environments?
sporopollenin (a polymer)
what are the multicellular organs called that are found on the sporophyte and produce spores?
sporangia
what do the outer tissues of the sporangium do?
they protect the developing spores until they are ready to be released
what the difference between the female gametangium and male gametangium?
- FEMALE: produces a single cell in a vase shaped organ
- MALE: produce and release sperm into the environment
how does a zygote form and develop?
the sperm swims to the egg and they fuse within the archegonium (female gametangium), and then develops into an embryo
apical meristems differentiate (grow) into what 2 types of plant tissues?
- surface epidermis
- internal tissues
what are apical meristems?
special growth zones at the tips of roots and shoots that produce new cells
what are the two types of land plants?
- vascular
- nonvascular
whats the difference between vascular and non-vasc?
having a vascular system vs not having one
whats in vascular system?
specialized tissues;
- xylem (for transporting water and minerals)
- phloem (for transporting sugars and nutrients)
what do non vascular plants lack?
- vascular system, which in return lacks xylem and phloem
which plant grows taller, vasc or non-vasc? Why?
vasc, they have an efficient way to transport water and nutrients compared to non vasc
what are some examples of non-vasc plants?
mosses, liverworts, hornworts
what is the only plant with a life cycle in which gametophyte generation is dominant?
non vasc plants
what are non vasc plants informally known as?
bryophytes
what are the 3 phyla of bryophytes (non vasc)?
- mosses
- liverworts
- hornworts
in bryophytes, what is the largest and most conspicuous phase of the life cycle?
gametophytes are the largest
what are the filaments that are one cell thick on gametophyte called?
protonema
how do bryophyte spores germinate and grow into gametophytes?
mitosis
what is a protonema?
the early growth stage of bryophyte (like a baby moss)
- has a large surface area
- in turn helps it absorb water and minerals
- this is important because bryophytes live in moist environments
- in good conditions, protonema develops into gametophores
what are gametophores?
the structures that produce gametes (sperm and eggs).
- eventually becomes the leafy part of the moss
- only few cells thick, which allows all the cells to be close to water and dissolved minerals
- important because bryophytes don’t have complex systems to move water inside their bodies
what do most bryophytes lack?
non vasc, thus conducting tissues to distribute water and nutrients (transportation system)
what are bryophytes anchored by?
Rhizoids: tubular cells or filaments of cells
what’s the difference between rhizoids (non vasc) and roots (vasc)?
- rhizoids don’t play a crucial role in absorbing water/nutrients. just an anchor. not a true root as it lacks vascular tissues
- roots do play a big role in absorbing water/nutrients along with being an anchorage
what is the stage in the bryophyte life cycle that produces spores called?
bryophyte sporophyte
bryophyte sporophytes produce and release a huge number of _____
spores
is it true that photosynthesis is only temporary for sporophytes?
yes, only occurs in young sporophytes
the sporophyte is dependent on what part of the bryophyte for its entire life?
the maternal gametophyte (the green leafy part of the moss)
- it cannot survive on its own and stays attached to the gametophyte
why does the sporophyte stay on the gametophyte its whole life?
because the gametophyte provides essential resources like sugars, amino acids, minerals and water