W1: L3 = Palaeo Ecosystem 1 [Terrestrialisation] (Prof. Bamford) Flashcards

1
Q

Early Ecosystem attributes? (10)

A

• Aquatic only.
• Shallow seas.
• Invertebrates.
• Whole ecosystem of primary producers, prey & predators.
• Water cuts out harmful UV.
• Algae photosynthesising.
• Oxygen.
• Free oxygen + cosmic rays –> ozone.
• Land surface was empty.

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2
Q

Time period of Algae & Fungi?

A

Phanerozoic.

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3
Q

Earliest Terrestrial ecosystems attributes? (6)

A

• Seas very crowded.
• UV radiation harmful before ozone formed.
• Bare land was unoccupied & very tempting but was dry.
• Dry bare land.
• No soils & no water retention.
• Extreme hot/cold.

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4
Q

Adaptations required by Aquatic plants to colonize land? (4)

A

● Develop roots.

● Develop spores.

● Have cuticles & stomata.

● Have hydraulic system.

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5
Q

Why did Aquatic plants have to develop roots to colonize land?

A

For efficient water uptake.

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6
Q

Why did Aquatic plants have to develop/have spores to colonize land?

A

For reproduction.

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7
Q

Why did Aquatic plants have to have cuticles & stomata to colonize land? (2)

A

• To control water loss.
• To control CO2 intake.

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8
Q

Why did Aquatic plants have to have a hydraulic system to colonize land?

A

For efficient water transport through Tracheids.

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9
Q

Tracheids components? (2)

A

• Xylem.
• Phloem.

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10
Q

Tracheids attributes? (4)

A

• Efficient water transport.

• Have rigidity & talk stature above other plants.

• Enable long distance dispersal of spores.

• Made up of lignin & suberin.

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11
Q

Lignin & Suberin attributes? (4)

A

• Absent from aquatic plants.

• Strength to stems.

• Excretory material.

• Reduces cell wall permeability.

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12
Q

Thing to note on the different vascular structures in plants?

A

Through time, different patterns of xylem & phloem (vascular structure) were experimented by plants to adapt to the environment occupied.

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13
Q

Feedback: Effects of plants on the atmosphere? (3)

A

• Free O2 & O3
|
• Increase in CO2
|
• Greenhouse effect.

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14
Q

Feedback: Effects of plants on the landscape? (4)

A

• Soils formed (soil = sediment + organic matter)
|
• Soils bound by roots
|
• Nutrients available for plants
|
• Microclimate & humidity

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15
Q

Thing to note about Feedback & effects of plants on the atmosphere & landscape?

A

Plants improve the Earth for their comfort, survival & reproduction.

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16
Q

Ancestor of land plants?

A

Charaphyceae.

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17
Q

Charaphyceae attributes? (7)

A

• Ancestral group within Algae.

• Gave rise to land plants.

• Complex morphology.

• Worldwide.

• Fresh & brackish water.

• Fossilised oogonium.

• Upper Silurian.

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18
Q

Charaphyceae time period?

A

Upper Silurian.

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19
Q

Oogonium?

A

= structure enclosing egg cells.

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20
Q

Plant classification techniques for living plants? (3)

A

● Based on reproductive structures.

● Molecular genetics/phylogeny changing some groupings.

● Molecular clocks.

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21
Q

Plant classification techniques for fossil plants? (5)

A

● Same as for living plants if possible, otherwise morphological only.

● Leaf shape & venation.

● Steles (vascular structure).

● Wood anatomy (distribution of tissues).

● Spore & pollen morphology.

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22
Q

Features of study in Palynology? (3)

A

• Size & shape.
• Pores & furrows.
• Surface texture.

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23
Q

Earliest Terrestrial ecosystems in terms of plants available attributes?

A

• Non-vascular Bryophytes occupied moist environments.

• Small vascular plants on drier land were ¹ simple,² small & ³ spore-producing.

• Charophyceae ancestor (monophyletic).

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24
Q

Charophyceae ancestor attributes? (6)

A

• Biochemistry same.
• Chlorophyll a & b.
• Cellulose.
• True starch stored.
• Life cycles same.
• Protostele.

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25
Q

Small vascular plants present in the Earliest Terrestrial ecosystems? (3)

A

• Rhyniophyta.

• Zosterophyllophyta.

• Trimerophyta.

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26
Q

Groups of Bryophytes (non-vascular plants during Earliest Terrestrial ecosystems)? (3)

A

• Liverworts.
• Mosses.
• Hornworts.

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27
Q

Liverworts attributes? (2)

A

• Grow in damp areas only.
• Common.

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28
Q

Hornworts attributes? (2)

A

• Uncommon.
• Cretaceous period.

29
Q

Rhyniophytes attributes? (7)

A

• Small.
• Early Devonian.
• Simple.
• Grow in damp areas.
• Diversified over time & got more complicated.
• Photosynthesized through stems.
• No leaves.

30
Q

Eg of Rhyniophytes from South Africa? (2)

A

• Dutoitia.
• Late Devonian.

31
Q

Zosterophyllophytes attributes? (2)

A

• Increases SA for photosynthesis.
• Early to Late Devonian origin.

32
Q

Eg of Zosterophyllophytes?

A

Asteroxylon.

33
Q

Trimerophytes attributes? (3)

A

• Silurian to Devonian.
• More complex.
• Ancestral to all plants except lycopods.

34
Q

Plants under Trimerophytes?

A

Psilophyta/Whisk ferns.

35
Q

Whisk ferns attributes? (3)

A

• Lack roots & leaves.
• Extinct.
• Silurian origin.

36
Q

How is Trimerophytes similar to Bryophytes & Zosterophyllophytes? (2)

A

● Silurian to Devonian.

● Terminal sporangia producing spores.

37
Q

How is Trimerophytes different to Bryophytes & Zosterophyllophytes? (2)

A

● More complex.

● Ancestral to all plants except lycopods.

38
Q

Evolutionary path to forests? (10)

A

● Non-vascular Bryophytes
= leptoids & hydroids.
||
● Unifacial cambium
= xylem.
||
● Bifacial cambium
= xylem & phloem.
||
● Early vascular plants
= xylem
||
● Thickened wall
= strength & impermeability.
||
● Pits allowed across water transport
||
● Larger diameter
= increased water capacity.
||
● Taller plants
= efficient hydraulics.
||
● Bifacial cambium
= phloem (food).
||
● Rays + xylem + phloem
= xylem (wood)

Therefore, Forests arise.

39
Q

Egs of plants in Devonian forests? (4)

A

• Lycophytes.
• Sphenophytes.
• Ferns.
• Extinct early gymnosperms.

40
Q

IMPORTANT Plants summary? (4)

A

● Evolved over time.

● Phylogenetic relationships, speciation, clades, etc.

● Study living taxa & their environments.

● Relate these to the fossil environments.

41
Q

Whatbshould you apply the Plant summary to? (3)

A

• Understanding evolutionary forces.

• Affect of climate changes on flora.

• Dating of sediments.

42
Q

Groups of Earliest land vascular plants? (3)

A

• Rhyniophyta.
• Zosterophyllophyta.
• Trimerophyta.

43
Q

Similar features in the 3 groups land vascular plants? (4)

A

• Vascular tissue (xylem & phloem).
• No leaves.
• Lignin.
• Independent long-lived sporophyte.

44
Q

Differences in the 3 groups of land vascular plants? (2)

A

• Branching.
• Terminal sporangia.

45
Q

Name of large vascular plants?

A

Euphyllophytes.

46
Q

Euphyllophytes?

A

= larger spore-bearing vascular plants.

47
Q

Groups of Euphyllophytes? (3)

A

• Lycopodiophyta.
• Equisetales.
• Pteridophyta.

48
Q

Lycopodiophyta is AKA? (2)

A

• Lycopods.
• Clubmosses.

49
Q

Equisetales are AKA? (2)

A

• Sphenophytes.
• Horsetails.

50
Q

Pteridophyta is AKA?

A

Ferns.

51
Q

Common features of the 3 groups of Euphyllophytes? (5)

A

• Spore-bearing.

• Primary xylem (not true wood).

• Simple leaves (can be divided).

• Require moisture.

• Main groundcover in past ecosystems (i.e., before grasses).

52
Q

Lycopods attributes? (5)

A

• Early Devonian.

• Leaves are microphylls.

• Spreading roots in soft soil (aerating tissue).

• Unbranched vascular system (primitive).

• Arborescent lycopods (Carboniferous).

53
Q

Arborescent?

A

= resembling a tree in growth or appearance.

54
Q

Sphenophytes attributes? (5)

A

• Permian.
• Narrow leaves.
• Food herbivores.
• Wet environments.
• Variation in size (larger ones, Calamitales, are extinct).

55
Q

Arborescent Sphenophytes?

A

= Calamitales.

56
Q

Types of Sphenophytes? (3)

A

• Herbaceous.
• Arborescent.
• Modern.

57
Q

Ferns attributes? (6)

A

• Vascular plants with complex internal structure.

• Spore-producing.

• Devonian; Carboniferous diversification.

• Root system: rhizome with simple rhizoids & often galls for N2 fixation.

• Have megaphylls.

• Most diverse group.

58
Q

Types of Ferns forms in fossil record? (2)

A

• Fern leaves.
• Fern sterms.

59
Q

Fossil Fern leaves?

A

Simple venation & small size in fossil record (venation & shape of fronds is NB).

60
Q

Fossil Fern stems?

A

Many fossil species known only from the stem anatomy.

61
Q

Megaphylls?

A

= large complex leaves (fronds) derived from modified branching systems.

62
Q

Megaphylls?

A

= large complex leaves (fronds) derived from modified branching systems.

63
Q

Homosporous?

A

=

64
Q

Heterosporous?

A

=

65
Q

Homosporous vs Heterosporous?

A
66
Q

Plants with Homosporous? (3)

A

• Bryophytes.
• Sphenophytes.
• Lycophyta (Lycopodium).

67
Q

Plants with Heterosporous? (1)

A

Lycophyta

• Selaginella.
• Isoetes.

68
Q

Thing to note about these plants aforementioned?

A

These plants are the result of rapid evolution after 3000 million years of stasis.