Characteristics of Seed Plants

Characteristics of Seed Plants

• Produce seeds as a reproductive strategy
• Have vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) for transportation of water and nutrients
• Have roots, stems, and leaves as primary organs
• Are heterosporous, producing two types of spores: megaspores and microspores

Life Cycle of Seed Plants

1. Sporophyte stage: The diploid plant body produces spores through meiosis.
2. Spore dispersal: Spores are released and dispersed away from the parent plant.
3. Gametophyte stage: A haploid gametophyte develops from a spore.
4. Fertilization: Sperm cells from the male gametophyte fuse with egg cells from the female gametophyte.
5. Zygote stage: The resulting zygote develops into an embryo.
6. Seed development: The embryo grows and matures into a seed.

Types of Seed Plants

• Gymnosperms: Naked seeds, not enclosed in an ovary. Examples: conifers, cycads, and ginkgoes.
• Angiosperms: Seeds enclosed in an ovary. Examples: flowering plants, including monocots and dicots.

Evolutionary Advantages of Seed Plants

• Seeds provide protection: Seeds offer a protective environment for the embryo, allowing it to survive harsh conditions.
• Seeds enable dispersal: Seeds can be dispersed away from the parent plant, increasing the chances of successful colonization.
• Seeds allow for dormancy: Seeds can remain dormant for extended periods, allowing plants to survive unfavorable conditions.

Importance of Seed Plants

• Food source: Many seed plants are a primary source of food for humans and other animals.
• Ecosystem engineering: Seed plants play a crucial role in shaping ecosystems and providing habitats for other organisms.
• Ecological adaptations: Seed plants have evolved various adaptations to survive in diverse environments.

Characteristics of Seed Plants

• Seed plants reproduce using seeds as a strategy
• They possess vascular tissues for transporting water and nutrients
• They have three primary organs: roots, stems, and leaves
• They are heterosporous, producing two types of spores: megaspores and microspores

Life Cycle of Seed Plants

• Sporophyte stage: diploid plant body produces spores through meiosis
• Spores are dispersed away from the parent plant
• Gametophyte stage: haploid gametophyte develops from a spore
• Fertilization: sperm cells from male gametophyte fuse with egg cells from female gametophyte
• Zygote stage: resulting zygote develops into an embryo
• Seed development: embryo grows and matures into a seed

Types of Seed Plants

• Gymnosperms: produce naked seeds, not enclosed in an ovary, examples include conifers, cycads, and ginkgoes
• Angiosperms: produce seeds enclosed in an ovary, examples include flowering plants, including monocots and dicots

Evolutionary Advantages of Seed Plants

• Seeds provide protection for the embryo, allowing it to survive harsh conditions
• Seeds enable dispersal, increasing the chances of successful colonization
• Seeds allow for dormancy, enabling plants to survive unfavorable conditions

Importance of Seed Plants

• Many seed plants are a primary source of food for humans and other animals
• Seed plants play a crucial role in shaping ecosystems and providing habitats for other organisms
• They have evolved various adaptations to survive in diverse environments