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BIO 1110 > Lecture 5: Terrestrial Plant Evolution > Flashcards

Lecture 5: Terrestrial Plant Evolution Flashcards

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Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Define plants

A

Plants are eukaryotic, multicellular, photoautotrophic organisms that have cell walls made of cellulose.

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2
Q

How do plants distinguish from multicellular protists (algae)?

A

Algae (protists), like plants, can also eukaryotic, multicellular and photoautotrophic organisms that have cell walls.
But, the distinctions are that…
- ALL plants are multicellular, whereas algae can be uni or colonial.
- MOST plants live on LAND, whereas most algae live in aquatic or moist terrestrial habitats.
- ALL plants have a WAXY CUTICLE and STOMATA, whereas algae do not because algae are not in danger of desiccation due to their aquatic habitat and they are able to exchange gases through diffusion in the surrounding water.
- Most plants have ROOTS, STEMS, LEAVES and some have VASCULAR TISSUES, whereas algae do not because they are able to absorb all the nutrients and water their cells need from the surrounding aquatic environment.

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3
Q

What are the 5 basic resources required plants? Why are each needed?

A 
Plants require:
1. Water
2. Light 
3. CO2 
all for photosynthesis
  1. O2 for cellular respiration
  2. Mineral nutrients for making proteins, DNA, fats, etc.
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4
Q

Describe vascular plants and provide an example

A

Plants that have vascular tissue systems that transport water and nutrients through the plant, as well as provide some structural support.
Ex. Gymnosperms like conifer trees

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5
Q

Describe non-vascular plants and provide an example

A

Plants that do not have vascular tissue systems. ex. Bryophytes like moss

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6
Q

How do algae function in the water?

A
  • they are surrounded and supported by water (do not need internal structural support)
  • they can only access sunlight near the surface
  • absorb LIMITED dissolved O2, CO2, and nutrients directly from the water
  • reproduce by releasing gametes directly into the water
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7
Q

What are 5 major challenges faced by the first terrestrial plants?

A
  • Absorption of water and nutrients, the first terrestrial plants did not have roots (algae do not have roots) and they cannot obtain these through diffusion like they could in water
  • reproduction would be more difficult due to the lack of water to disperse gametes into
  • lack structural support
  • transport of nutrients and water through the plant would be difficult
  • dehydration or water loss - they would not have mechanisms to minimize water loss
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8
Q

What are 5 major challenges faced by the first terrestrial plants?

A
  • Absorption of water and nutrients, the first terrestrial plants did not have roots (algae do not have roots) and they cannot obtain these through diffusion like they could in water
  • reproduction would be more difficult due to the lack of water to disperse gametes into
  • lack structural support
  • transport of nutrients and water through the plant would be difficult
  • dehydration or water loss - they would not have mechanisms to minimize water loss
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9
Q

define the term key adaptation

A

A trait that provides a new ability to exploit previously unavailable habitats or resources

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10
Q

Approximately how many years ago did plants colonize land?

A

475 million years ago

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11
Q

What are the first land plants called? When did they colonize land? Give an example of a group

A

The first land plants are called BRYOPHYTES and they colonized land approx. 475 mya.
An example is moss

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12
Q

What are the 2 key adaptations of bryophytes and how did they provide an advantage?

A
  1. Waxy cuticle: A waxy coating around the exterior of all land plants that functions to reduce water loss. This would reduce chances of dehydration and allow plants to inhabit regions further from water sources.
  2. Stomata: Pores in the surface of all land plants that open and close. The stomata allow for gas exchange to occur. This is advantageous because plants require CO2 and O2 for crucial life processes (photo. and CRt) and if the waxy cuticle blocks water, it will also block gas molecules.
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13
Q

What are the 2 key adaptations of bryophytes and how did they provide an advantage?

A
  1. Waxy cuticle: A waxy coating around the exterior of all land plants that functions to reduce water loss. This would reduce chances of dehydration and allow plants to inhabit regions further from water sources.
  2. Stomata: Pores in the surface of all land plants that open and close. The stomata allow for gas exchange to occur. This is advantageous because plants require CO2 and O2 for crucial life processes (photo. and CRt) and if the waxy cuticle blocks water, it will also block gas molecules.
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14
Q

What are the 2 main groups of plants?

A

Vascular and non-vascular

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15
Q

What are the 2 main groups of plants?

A

Vascular and non-vascular

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16
Q

Which group of plants are non-vascular?

A

Bryophytes

17
Q

What are the 3 major limitations bryophytes (and non-vascular) plants face?

A
  1. Height limitations: because they have no vascular system and no true roots or leaves, they cannot transport nutrients or water long distances, they must remain close to the ground to increase contact AND limited structural support so they remain very small.
  2. They are restricted to at least periodically moist environments because they (like algae) require water for the dispersal of their gametes.
  3. Limited dispersal by spores. Spores can only travel short distances.
18
Q

What are spores?

A

Single-celled reproductive units that explode out of reproductive structures

19
Q

What are the second major group of plants to evolve on land called? What is an example? When did they evolve?

A

Seedless vascular plants evolved on land about 425 million years ago. An example is ferns.

20
Q

When did seedless vascular plants evolve?

A

about 425 million years ago

21
Q

What are the 3 seedless vascular plant key adaptations?

A
  1. Vascular tissue (xylem and phloem): tissues that connect throughout the plant and move water and nutrients long distances. The xylem provides a rigid secondary cell wall (made of lignin) that provides the plants with structural support against gravity.
  2. Leaves: are the main photosynthetic organ of these plants by increasing surface area for light capture.
  3. Roots: are structures that extend into the soil and increase access to water and mineral nutrients in the soil. Also provides anchorage to hold the plant in place.

All of these adaptations allowed these plants to grow taller and therefore become more competitive for resources like sunlight and mineral nutrients and space.

22
Q

What are the 2 major limitations seedless vascular plants still face?

A
  1. Still limited to moist environments as their sperm still requires water to swim to the egg.
  2. Still produce spores, seedless means they do not produce seeds, but are still limited to dispersal by spores.
23
Q

What are the third major group of plants to evolve on land? When did they evolve? Give an example.

A

Gymnosperms were the third group of plants to evolve on land and they evolved around 305 million years ago. An example of these are conifers.

24
Q

What are the 2 major key advantages for gymnosperms?

A
  1. SEEDS: are an embryo (multicellular, unlike spores) surrounded with a food supply encased in a protective seed coating.
  2. POLLEN: is the reproductive structures in male plants (pollen is not sperm, but it produces sperm) that are transported to the female reproductive structure to produce sperm.
25
Q

How do seeds compare to spores?

A

While they are both methods of dispersal that come out of reproductive structures…
Spores are single-celled reproductive units that provide little protection and no food supply.
Whereas, seeds are multi-celled embryos that are surrounded by a food supply and a protective coating.

26
Q

What are two major advantages seeds have over spores?

A

Seeds are multicellular and contain a food supply for their embryo inside a protective coating which allows them to delay germination until the conditions are favourable.
Whereas, spores are single-celled and they do not contain a food supply or much of a protective coating. While they can delay germination, it is not nearly as long of a period as seeds.

27
Q

What is the major advantage of pollen?

A

Pollen dispersal is no longer reliant on moisture for reproduction, but instead can be transported to the female structures by the wind. This is an advantage because the wind can carry the pollen to much further distances and increase chances of reproduction.

28
Q

What are the major limitations of gymnosperms?

A
  1. Wind transfer of their pollen is by chance. A small amount of the pollen will actually reach the female reproductive structures, so gymnosperms must produce a large amount of pollen to ensure some reproductive success.
  2. Seeds have some protection will it is held inside the cone, but once the cone opens and releases the seeds to be caught by the wind, they are no longer covered. Seed dispersal, like pollen, is also by chance.
29
Q

What is the most recent group of plants to evolve on land? How long ago did they evolve? What is an example?

A

Angiosperms evolved around 140 million years ago. Any flowering or fruiting plant is an example.

30
Q

T or F: Angiosperms are the most successful plants on earth? why/why not?

A

TRUE. Angiosperms are the most successful as they are the most diverse group of plants and they have moved into a wide variety of habitats. All of this is due to their key adaptations (flowers and fruits)

31
Q

Define a monocot

A

One of the two major clades/groups of angiosperm plants that consist of flowering plants with only one embryonic seed leaf (aka cotyledon)

32
Q

Define a eudicot

A

One of the two major clades/groups of angiosperms that consists of flowering plants with two embryonic seed leaves (cotyledons).

33
Q

What are the 6 major character differences between a monocot and a eudicot?

A
  1. Monocots have one embryonic seed leaf (cotyledon), whereas eudicots have two cotyledons.
  2. The leaf venation differs in that monocot veins are usually parallel, whereas eudicot veins are usually net-like.
  3. The stems differ in that monocot stems have scattered vascular tissue bundles and eudicot stems have vascular tissue bundles arranged in a ring.
  4. The root system differs between the two, as monocots have a fibrous system and no main root. Whereas, eudicots have a main taproot.
  5. The pollen grain differs. Monocots have pollen grains with one opening, whereas eudicots have pollen grains with three openings.
  6. Flower structures differ. Monocots have flowers in multiples of three, whereas eudicots have flowers in multiples of four or five.
34
Q

Describe how fruit are a key adaptation for angiosperms?

A

Fruit (ovary) provides the seed with a protective covering as animals are more likely to eat the fruit surrounding the seed than the seed itself. Or if an animal does consume the seed, it cannot digest it, so it will disperse the seed far away from the parent plant.
This is an advantage as it decreases competition for the new plant and increases possibility of occupying new habitats.

35
Q

What are fruits?

A

The swollen ovaries that surround seeds. They can be fleshy and sweet to attract feeding animals or dry and easily picked up by wind, water, or animal fur.

36
Q

What are the two groups that angiosperms are divided into?

A

Monocots and Eudicots

37
Q

T or F: monocots are the largest and most diverse group of angiosperms?

A

FALSE, Eudicots make up more than 2/3s of angiosperms

38
Q

An overall summary of the evolution of plants, give an example, and provide their key adaptations?

A
  1. Bryophytes moved to land
    - ex. mosses
    - key adaptations: waxy cuticles and stomata.
  2. Seedless vascular plants evolved
    - ex. ferns
    - key adaptations: vascular tissues, leaves and stems.
  3. Seed vascular plants - gymnosperms evolved
    - ex. conifers
    - Key adaptation: seeds and pollen.
  4. Seed vascular plants - angiosperms evolved (Ex. monocots and eudicots, more specifically, daisies). Key adaptations: fruits and flowers.
39
Q

An overall summary of the evolution of plants, give an example, and provide their key adaptations? How long ago did each evolve?

A
  1. Bryophytes moved to land
    - approx. 475 million years ago.
    - ex. mosses
    - key adaptations: waxy cuticles and stomata.
  2. Seedless vascular plants evolved
    - approx. 425 million years ago
    - ex. ferns
    - key adaptations: vascular tissues, leaves and stems.
  3. Seed vascular plants - gymnosperms evolved
    - approx. 305 million years ago
    - ex. conifers
    - Key adaptation: seeds and pollen.
  4. Seed vascular plants - angiosperms evolved
    - approx. 140 million years ago
    - Ex. monocots and eudicots, more specifically, daisies
    - Key adaptations: fruits and flowers

BIO 1110 (24 decks)

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