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General Biology: Plant Diversity and Evolution

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Terms in this set (20)

  • What group are land plants proposed to have evolved from?
    Land plants are proposed to have evolved from green algae ancestors, specifically charophytes.
  • Name the four key derived traits found in nearly all land plants but absent in charophytes.
    1. Alternation of generations
    2. Multicellular, dependent embryos
    3. Walled spores produced in sporangia
    4. Apical meristems
  • What is alternation of generations in plants?
    A reproductive cycle where plants alternate between a haploid gametophyte stage producing gametes and a diploid sporophyte stage producing spores.
  • What is the role of sporopollenin in plant spores?
    Sporopollenin is a durable polymer in spore walls that prevents drying out and protects spores in harsh environments.
  • What are apical meristems and their function?
    Localized regions of cell division at root and shoot tips that enable continuous growth and differentiation into various tissues.
  • Why are land plants called embryophytes?
    Because their diploid embryos are retained and protected within the female gametophyte, dependent on the parent plant for nutrients.
  • List the three major groups of bryophytes.
    Hornworts (Anthocerophyta), Liverworts (Hepatophyta), and Mosses (Bryophyta).
  • What limits the height of bryophytes?
    Lack of vascular tissue and rigid support tissues constrain bryophytes to small sizes.
  • How do bryophyte sperm reach eggs for fertilization?
    Flagellated sperm swim through a film of water, guided by chemical attractants, to reach and fertilize eggs.
  • What ecological role does Sphagnum moss play?
    Forms peat deposits that store carbon, influence soil nutrient retention, and act as a fuel source.
  • What distinguishes seedless vascular plants from bryophytes?
    Seedless vascular plants have vascular tissues, dominant sporophyte life cycles, and can grow taller than bryophytes.
  • Name the two types of vascular tissues and their functions.
    Xylem conducts water and minerals; Phloem distributes sugars and organic nutrients.
  • What evolutionary advantage did vascular tissue provide plants?
    Allowed increased height and efficient transport of water and nutrients, enhancing survival and reproduction.
  • What are sporophylls?
    Modified leaves that bear sporangia and produce spores.
  • What is the difference between homosporous and heterosporous plants?
    Homosporous plants produce one type of spore developing into bisexual gametophytes; heterosporous plants produce two spore types leading to separate male and female gametophytes.
  • Name the two phyla of seedless vascular plants.
    Phylum Lycophyta (club mosses, spike mosses, quillworts) and Phylum Monilophyta (ferns, horsetails, whisk ferns).
  • How did seedless vascular plants contribute to global cooling in the Carboniferous period?
    Their extensive growth and photosynthesis removed CO2 from the atmosphere, reducing greenhouse gases.
  • What is the significance of decaying Carboniferous forests?
    They formed coal deposits, a major fossil fuel resource.
  • What are the benefits and challenges of life on land for plants?
    Benefits: Unfiltered sunlight, plentiful CO2, nutrient-rich soil.
    Challenges: Unpredictable water availability, lack of structural support.
  • What are stomata and their function?
    Pores on photosynthetic surfaces that allow gas exchange but can also cause water loss.