Midterm 2 Flashcards
How long ago was the terrestrial surface lifeless?
~3BYA
How long ago did Cyanobacteria develop?
~1.2BYA
How long ago did small plants, fungi and animals develop?
500MYA
How long ago did plants get taller?
385MYA
Why did plants get taller 385MYA?
Access to more light
How long ago did the earliest trees appear?
~385MYA
What are the closest relatives to land plants?
Green algae called Charophytes
What 3 traits did plants acquire independently?
1) Multicellularity
2) Photosynthetic pigments
3) Cell walls made of cellulose
What are the 3 key traits that land plants share with charophytes?
1) Rings of cellulose-synthesizing proteins
2) Structure of flagellated sperm
3) Formation of phragmoplast
What are phragmoplasts and what do they do in plants?
They are structures that guide assembly of the cell plate during cell division
What is one adaptation that enabled plants to move to land?
Layer of durable polymer called sporopollenin which prevents zygotes from drying out
What are 4 reasons for plants to move to land?
1) Unfiltered sun
2) More plentiful CO2
3) Nutrient-rich soil
4) Few herbivores or pathogens
What are 2 issues plats had with moving to land?
1) Scarcity of water
2) Lack of structural support
What would happen if the plant weren’t able to make an adequate amount of sporopollenin?
1) Zygotes would dry out
2) Spores would be less viable
What is the word that we use to define plants with?
Embryophytes: plants w/ embryos
What are 5 key traits of all plants
1) Alternation of generations: alternation b/w 2 multicellular stages: gametophyte (n) and sporophyte (2n)
2) Multicellularity
3) walled spores produced in sporangium: spore walls made of sporopollenin through meiosis of sporophyte
4) Multicellular gametangium: Archegonia (female organ) and Antheridia (male organ)
5) Apical meristems: responsible for extension of roots and shoots
What are 3 more derived traits of plants?
1) Cuticle: waxy covering of epidermis
2) Mycorrhizae: fungi + land plants
3) Stomata: specialized spores that support photosynthesis by allowing gas exchange
What are the 2 purposes of a waxy cuticle
1) Decreases water loss
2) Decreases microbial attacks
What’s the purpose of Apical meristems?
Responsible for extension of roots and shoots
What are the female and male gametangium organs that produce gametes called?
Female: Archegonia
Male: Antheridia
How long ago did spores develop?
470MYA
How long ago did spores with plant cuticle develop?
425MYA
How are plants informally grouped?
They’re informally grouped by presence or absence of vascular tissue
Which grouping of plants has the most diversity within their group?
Gymnosperms
Which grouping of plants is the most diverse?
Angiosperms
What are the four major groups of plants?
1) Bryophytes
2) Seedless vascular plants
3) Gymnosperms
4) Angiosperms
What are the 3 phyla within Bryophytes?
1) Hepatophyta: liverworts
2) Bryophyta: Mosses
3) Anthocerophyta: Hornworts
What are the 5 economic importances of Mosses?
1) Retains N in soils
2) Soil conditioner
3) Fuel source
4) Packing material
5) Storage of organic carbon
What are the 2 groups that seedless vascular plants are divided into?
1) Lycophytes
2) Monilophytes
What plants are in Lycophytes?
club mosses, spike mosses, quillworts + relatives
What plants are in Monilophytes?
ferns, horsetails, whisk ferns + relatives
What are the significances of the ancestors of Lycophytes?
They grew to great heights during the Devonian and Carboniferous eras, forming the 1st forests and creating coal. AND they may have contributed to global cooling as their roots increased the rate of calcium and magnesium which react with CO2.
What are the 2 groups of seed vascular plants?
1) Gymnosperms
2) Angiosperms
Did early vascular plants have dependent or independent sporophytes?
Independent branching sporophytes
What are 3 characteristics of living vascular plants?
1) Life cycles with dominant sporophytes
2) Vascular tissue called xylem and phloem
3) well-developed roots and leaves
What does xylem do?
It conducts most H2O and minerals and includes dead tube-shaped cells called tracheids
What does phloem do?
it consists of living cells arranged into tubes and distribute sugars, amino acids, and other organic products
What does vascular tissue provide to plants?
It gives plants increased height
What are 2 evolutionary advantages of having vascular tissue
They’re taller so…
1) Get more sunlight
2) Spores dispersed faster
What are 2 functions of roots?
1) Anchors vascular plants
2) Enables vascular plants to absorb water and nutrients from the soil
What may have roots evolved from?
Subterranean stems
What’s the function of leaves?
It increases surface area of vascular plants, thereby capturing more solar energy used in photosynthesis
What are the 2 categories of leaves?
1) Microphylls: leaves w/ single vein
2) Megaphylls: leaves w/ highly branched vascular system; present in all vascular plants except lycophytes
What’s the definition of sporophylls?
Modified leaves with sporangium
What’s the definition of Sori?
clusters of sporangium on the undersides of sporophylls
What’s the definition of Strobili?
cone-like structures formed from groups of sporophylls
What are the characteristics of a heterosporous species?
They produce megaspores giving rise to female gametophytes and Microspores which give rise to male gametophytes
Are all seed plants and some seedless vascular plants hetersporous or homosporous?
Heterosporous
What are the characteristics of a Homosporous species?
They produce 1 type of spore that develops into a bisexual gametophyte
Are most seedless vascular plants Heterosporous or Homosporous?
Homosporous
What are monocots and Eudicots?
2 major groups of angiosperms
What 3 basic organs evolved in vascular plants?
1) Stems
2) Roots
3) Leaves
What are 3 important functions of roots?
1) Anchor plant
2) Absorb H2O and nutrients
3) Storing carbs
What’s the function of the taproot system, and is it mostly monocots or eudicots that have them?
Tall plants with large shoot masses have taproot systems which prevents it from toppling. This includes most eudicots.
Describe what a primary root is
It’s the first to emerge and it then branches to form lateral roots which improves anchorage and water storage.
What’s the function of the fibrous system, and is it mostly monocots or eudicots that have them?
The fibrous root system consists of adventitious roots that arise from stems, leaves, and lateral roots. This includes most monocots.
Fibrous root system, monocot or eudicot?
monocot
Taproot system, monocot or eudicot?
eudicot
Where along the root does the most absorption occur?
Root hairs as they increase surface area of roots allowing for more absorption
what do axillary buds do?
structures that have the potential to form lateral shoot or branch
What is the apical bud?
growing shoot tip which causes elongation of young shoot
What’s the function of apical dominance?
It helps maintain dormancy in most axillary buds
What are the 2 functions of plant stems?
1) structure
2) transport H2O and minerals
What are the 4 functions of leaves?
1) Intercept light
2) Exchange gasses
3) Dissipate heat
4) Defend plant from herbivores and pathogens
What kind of veins do monocots have?
Parallel veins
What kind of veins do Eudicots have
branching veins
When classifying angiosperms by their leaves, what are the 2 categories?
1) Simple
2) Compound
What does each plant organ have (3 things)?
Dermal, vascular, and ground tissues and each forms a tissue category
In non-woody plants what does the dermal tissue consist of?
epidermis
In non-woody plants, what is the function of the waxy coat/cuticle?
prevents water loss from epidermis
In non-woody plants, what is the periderm?
It’s protective tissue that replaces epidermis in older regions
In non-woody plants what are trichomes and what are its functions?
outgrowths of shoot epidermis which helps reduce water loss and insect defense
What are the 2 types of vascular tissue in non-woody plants and what are their functions?
Xylem: transports H2O and dissolved minerals from roots to shoots
Phloem: transports organic nutrients from sources to sinks (sugar)
What are the vascular tissues of stem and root in non-woody plants?
stele: central part of the root or stem
In angiosperms what is the stele of a root?
It’s a solid central vascular cylinder
In non-woody plants, what does the ground tissue system consist of?
-Internal to vascular tissue: pith
-Eternal to Vascular tissue: cortex
-Includes specialized cells for storage, photosynthesis, support and transport
What are the 5 types of plant cells?
1) Parenchyma
2) Collenchyma
3) Sclerenchyma
4) Water-conducting cells of the xylem
5) Sugar-conducting cells of the phloem
What are the characteristics and functions of Parenchyma cells?
Mature: thin flexible primary walls, lack secondary walls, are least specialized, perform most metabolic functions, and retains ability to divide and differentiate
What are the characteristics and functions of Collenchyma?
-Grouped in strands and help support young parts of plant shoot
-Have thicker and uneven cells walls
-Provide flexible support without restraining growth
-Flexibility and support
What are the characteristics and functions of Sclerenchyma?
-Rigid due to thick secondary walls strengthened with lignin, and are dead at functional maturity
-2 types:
1) Sclereids: short irregular shape w/ thick lignified secondary walls
2) Fibers: long and slender and arranged in threads
What are the characteristics and functions of Water-Conducting cells of the xylem?
-2 Types: Tracheids and Vessel Elements
-Tracheids: found in xylem of all vascular plants
-Vessel Elements: common to most angiosperms + some gymnosperms; they align end to end to form long micro pipes called vessels
-Sieve-tube elements: alive at functional maturity, but lack organelles
-Sieve plates: has a companion cell whose nucleus and ribosomes serve both cells
Where are tracheids found?
Found in xylem of all vascular plants
Structure of meristematic tissue?
1) Top: Apical meristem
2) middle: Intercalay meristem
3) bottom: Lateral meristem
What are the 2 different types of growth?
1) Indeterminate growth: grow throughout life
2) Determinate growth plant organs cease to grow at certain age
What are meristems and what do they allow for?
They’re perpetually embryonic tissue allowing for indeterminate growth
What are the 2 types of meristems?
Apical and lateral
Where are apical meristems found and what is their function
They’re located at tips of roots and shoots and at axillary buds. They elongate shoots and roots in process of primary growth (vertical)
What’s the function of lateral meristems?
add thickness to woody plants in process of secondary growth (lateral)
What are the 2 types of lateral meristems?
Vascular cambium and cork cambium
What’s the function of vascular cambium?
adds layers to vascular tissue called secondary xylem (wood) and secondary phloem
What’s the function of cork cambium?
replaces epidermis w/ periderm, which is thicker and tougher
What are 2 things that meristems give rise to?
1) Initials: stem cells that remain in the meristem
2) Derivatives: become specialized in mature tissue
What does the term annuals mean for flowering plants?
Complete lifecycle in year or less
What does the term biennials mean for flowering plants?
require 2 growing seasons
What does the term perennials mean for flowering plants?
live for many years
Primary growth: What’s the purpose of a root cap?
It protects the apical meristem as root pushes through soil
Primary growth: What 3 zones does growth occur behind the root tip?
1) Zone of cell division
2) Zone of elongation
3) Zone of differentiation and maturation
Primary growth: Where do lateral roots arise from?
arise from within the pericycle, the outermost cell layer in vascular tissue
Primary growth: What is the function and name of the innermost layer of the outer layer in vascular tissue?
Endodermis: regulates passage from soil into vascular cylinder
What does primary growth of roots look like in Eudicots?
xylem is starlike w/ phloem b/w the arms
What does primary growth of roots look like in monocots?
core of parenchyma cells is surrounded by rings of xylem then phloem
Primary growth of shoots: where do leaves develop from?
Leaf primordial along apical meristem
Primary growth of shoots: where do lateral shoots develop from?
axillary buds on stem’s surface
What does primary growth of shoots look like in monocots?
vascular bundles are scattered throughout the ground tissue
What does primary growth of shoots look like in Eudicots?
vascular tissue consists of vascular bundles arranged in a ring
What are the functions of stomata in leaves?
they are pores that allow CO2 and O2 exchange, and they are also major avenues for evaporative water loss
What is the purpose of guard cells?
they stretch and close the stomata
What is secondary growth a characteristic of? (monocots or eudicots, gymnosperms or angiosperms)
Characteristic of gymnosperms and angisperms and many eudicots, but NOT monocots
Why does secondary growth only occur in stems and roots of woody plants and not in leaves?
Secondary growth provides thickness which would be bad for leaves
What does secondary growth consist of?
consists of tissues produced by the 2 types of lateral meristems: vascular cambium and cork cambium
True of false: Primary growth and secondary growth occur simultaneously?
TRUE
What is dendrochronology used for and what does it study?
It’s the science that deals with the dating and study of the annual growth increments, or tree rings, in woody trees and shrubs
Do older layers of secondary xylem still transport H2O?
NO
Do outer layers of secondary growth known as sapwood still transport H2O?
YES
If bark is vut off in a ring around the tree, why does a bubble form?
Transport of water and nutrients continues where bark was not cut
Which plant revealed how secondary growth was triggered?
Arabidopsis plant
What is the cue for wood formation (secondary growth)?
Stem weight
Define growth:
an irreversible increase in size
Define Morphogenesis:
development of body form and organization
Define cell differentiation:
the process by which cells w/ same genes become different from each other
How tall did the tallest red cedar get?
115.7 meters
What is the major limitation of tall trees like red cedar?
Hydraulic limitation = major limiting factor for tall trees
How does transport through phloem work?
transport brings products from sources to sinks via translocation
What are the functions of stems?
serve as conduits for water and nutrients and as support structures for leaves
What does length and branching in shoots affect and what is a common trade off?
Length and branching pattern affect light capture; trade off b/w growing tall and branching
What is phyllotaxy and why is it important?
It’s the arrangment of leaves on stem which is important for light capture
What phyllotaxy do most angiosperms have?
alternate with spirally arranged leaves
Why are leaves so thin?
Green leaves are thin and broad to increase the surface area for absorption of light and carbon dioxide
Do horizontal leaves capture more light in low-light conditions or sunny conditions?
low-light
Why are vertical leaves more favourable in sunny conditions?
It’s because they’re less damaged by the sun and lower leaves can get light
What are the 3 transport routes for water and minerals?
1) Apoplast route: through cell walls and extracellular spaces
2) Symplast route: through cytosol
3) Transmembrane route: across cells
What consists of the Apoplast pathway?
everything external to plasma membrane; cells walls, extracellular space, and interior of vessel elements and tracheids
What consists of the Symplast pathway?
consists of cytosol of living cells in plants as well as plasmodesmata
What characteristic of the plasma membrane controls short-distance transport?
permeability
What are 4 short-distance ways of transporting solutes across the plasma membrane in plants?
1) Proton pump: membrane potential established by pumping H+ which in turn establishes a pH gradient driving transport of solutes
2) H+/sucrose Cotransporter: energy from H+ gradients used to cotransport ions by active transport. Example: Sugar in phloem
3) H+/NO3- Cotransporter: energy from H+ gradients used to cotransport solutes by active transport. Example: important in for uptake of NO3- in root cells
4) Ion Channels: only allow certain ions to pass. Example: K+ ion channel involved in release of K+ from guard cells when stomata close
How is water transported over short distances in plants?
Osmosis: plants must balance water uptake and loss to survive and they do so by osmosis. It’s the diffusion of water into or out of the cell affected by solute concentration and pressure
What happens if a flaccid/isotonic plant cell is placed in a hypertonic solution?
Plasmolysis: occurs when the protoplast shrinks and pulls away from the cell wall