35 Questions
What is the ecological importance of mosses?
Thrive in extreme environments like mountain tops and deserts
Which plant is often referred to as 'peat moss' and is important for its role in bogs?
Sphagnum
What is a characteristic of seedless vascular plants (SVP) mentioned in the text?
Presence of a vascular system for water and nutrient transport
Which part of the moss plant grows up from the female gametophyte for spore dispersal?
Sporophyte
What is one role of Sphagnum, or 'peat moss,' in wetlands?
Contributing to the formation of peat bogs and preserving corpses
What distinguishes seedless vascular plants from non-vascular plants like mosses?
Presence of true roots
Which type of plant serves as primary producers in cold or high-altitude regions according to the text?
Mosses
What structure helps in the absorption of water and minerals in plants?
Mycorrhizae
Which plant structure is responsible for protecting the egg during fertilization?
Archegonium
What is the main purpose of sporopollenin in plants?
Protection against desiccation
In plants, what is the role of apical meristems?
Continuous cell division for growth
Which chemicals in plants deter, repel, or poison competitors, herbivores, and parasites?
Caffeine
What do gametangia protect within the plant structure?
Egg
Which feature of plants is responsible for preventing desiccation while allowing gas exchange?
Waxy cuticle
What is the main difference between microphylls and megaphylls?
The number of vascular strands supporting the leaves
Which type of leaves exhibit greater photosynthetic productivity, according to the text?
Megaphylls
What structure are lycophyte sporophylls modified into?
Strobilus
Which group exhibits homosporous spore production?
Club mosses
What is the main difference between heterosporous and homosporous spore production?
The type of sporangium present
Which plant group belongs to the phylum Monilophyta?
Ferns
In heterosporous spore production, where is the megaspore produced?
On megasporangium
What is the defining characteristic of whisk ferns (Psilotum)?
Dichotomous branching
Where does photosynthesis occur in horsetails (Equisetum)?
Stems
What is the term used to describe plants that grow on the surface of another plant?
Epiphytes
Which group of plants is considered an important biological indicator of environmental pollution?
Ferns
What feature of a fern is known as a 'fiddlehead'?
Sori
Which plant group accelerates the formation of topsoil?
Ferns
What is the primary function of peat moss (Sphagnum) in the ecosystem?
Soil conditioner
Which term refers to the nonvascular plants collectively?
Bryophytes
Which structure in bryophytes is responsible for attachment but is not a true root?
Rhizoids
Which phylum of bryophytes is commonly known as Hornworts?
Anthocerotophyta
In bryophytes, which generation is dominant and produces eggs and flagellated sperm?
Gametophyte
Which part of a liverwort gametophyte resembles miniature trees in some species?
Gametophore
What is the common name for hornworts, based on the shape of their sporophyte?
"Horn-like"
Which type of liverwort has sporophytes that are reduced or very small?
"Thalloid"
Study Notes
From Water to Land
- Multicellular sporangium produces walled haploid spores that disperse through air, protected by sporopollenin.
- Gametophyte and sporophyte generations alternate, with gametophyte producing gametes and sporophyte producing spores.
Evolution of Land Plants
- Apical meristems allow for continuous growth of roots and shoots towards resources such as light, CO2, water, and minerals.
- Waxy cuticle prevents desiccation, but pores are needed to allow CO2/O2 exchange; controllable stomata regulate gas exchange in most plants.
- Secondary metabolites, such as caffeine, latex, and rubber, deter, repel, or poison competitors, herbivores, and parasites.
Mycorrhizae and True Leaves
- Mycorrhizae, a mutualism with fungi, helps with water and mineral absorption, dating back to the first land plants (before true roots).
- Lycophytes have microphylls (small, spine-shaped leaves supported by a single strand of vascular tissue), while most other vascular plants have megaphylls (leaves with a highly branched vascular system).
Sporophylls and Spore Production
- Sporophylls are leaves modified to bear sporangia, such as fern sporophylls with sori that generate spores on the underside, and Lycophyte sporophylls modified into a cone-like structure called a strobilus.
- Homosporous spore production involves a single type of spore, typically producing a bisexual gametophyte, while heterosporous spore production involves megaspores and microspores, producing female and male gametophytes, respectively.
Lycophytes and Pterophytes
- Lycophytes (club mosses and relatives) include small species (1,200 spp.) in tropical and temperate regions, with some species being heterosporous (e.g., spike mosses and quillworts).
- Pterophytes (ferns and relatives) include horsetails, whisk ferns, and ferns, with some species being homosporous (e.g., ferns) and others being heterosporous (e.g., whisk ferns).
Mosses
- Mosses are the most numerous of the non-vascular plants, inhabiting extreme environments such as mountain tops, tundra, and deserts.
- Sporophyte grows up from female gametophyte to gain elevation for spore dispersal, and mosses are major primary producers in cold or high-altitude regions.
Seedless Vascular Plants (SVP)
- SVP characteristics include branched sporophytes that are independent of gametophyte for nutrition, diploid sporophyte dominance, and transport in xylem and phloem (vascular system).
- Evolution of true roots, pterophytes (ferns and relatives), and mycorrhizae facilitated the development of SVPs.
Importance of Seedless Plants
- Seedless plants are important for promoting weathering of rocks, accelerating topsoil formation, and serving as biological indicators of environmental pollution.
- Some species are used as food, while peat moss (Sphagnum) is used as fuel, a soil conditioner, and a renewable resource.
Test your knowledge on the process of plant reproduction and development from water to land, including topics such as gametophytes, sporophytes, sporangia, and fertilization. Explore the stages of plant life cycle from spore dispersal to zygote formation.
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