Plants: Vegetative Reproduction and Spore Production

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Questions and Answers

What advantage does a coral colony have in comparison to isolated individuals?

They can share nutrients and genetic material. (correct)

They are able to produce spores for asexual reproduction.

They reproduce sexually, increasing genetic diversity.

They can detach and form new colonies.

Which process involves a plant breaking into pieces to create new individuals?

Spore production

Meristem growth

Budding

Fragmentation (correct)

In which way do spores differ from seeds?

Spores are larger and more complex than seeds.

Spores can remain dormant until conditions are favorable. (correct)

Spores are produced through sexual reproduction.

Spores consist of multiple cells, while seeds are single-celled.

Which of the following is NOT an example of vegetative reproduction?

Cacti producing spores Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of zoospores allows them to move in their aquatic environment?

They possess a tail-like flagella. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between the sporophyte and gametophyte stages in the life cycle of ferns?

The sporophyte is diploid and produces spores through meiosis, while the gametophyte is haploid and produces gametes. Signup and view all the answers

What best defines a gamete in the context of reproduction?

A specialized cell that contains genetic material solely for combining with another gamete. Signup and view all the answers

In sexual reproduction, what is the significance of self-fertilization in plants?

It results in unique gametes but involves only one parent. Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of pollen in the sexual reproduction of flowering plants?

It contains the male gametes necessary for fertilization. Signup and view all the answers

During which process does fertilization occur in animals?

The union of sperm cells and egg cells during mating. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary advantage of internal fertilization compared to external fertilization?

It leads to a higher success rate of fertilization. Signup and view all the answers

In which of the following species is external fertilization most likely to occur?

Many fish Signup and view all the answers

How does parental care influence the survival of offspring in species that typically engage in internal fertilization?

It decreases the likelihood of offspring dying. Signup and view all the answers

What is a disadvantage of external fertilization?

It requires production of a large number of gametes. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly describes the cleavage process after fertilization?

It refers to repeated cell divisions resulting from mitosis. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about gametes is accurate?

Sperm and eggs are examples of specialized cells called gametes. Signup and view all the answers

What does external fertilization usually imply about parental care?

There is generally no parental care expected. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is likely to require a liquid medium for fertilization?

Many fish Signup and view all the answers

What is a common outcome for species engaging in external fertilization with regard to zygotes?

Few zygotes survive due to environmental risks. Signup and view all the answers

Which reproductive strategy is characterized by the need for both parents to be present during the mating process?

Internal fertilization Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Vegetative Reproduction

Is a form of asexual reproduction in plants
A new plant can grow from a part of the parent plant
The production of new plants from specialized tissues such as: cuttings, runners, suckers, tubers, or bulbs
The offspring are genetically identical clones of the parent.
Involves fragmentation: where a plant breaks into pieces (fragments) and each piece can grow into a new plant
Examples include: coleus plant, spider plants, strawberries, tulips, aspen, and potatoes

Spore Production

Similar to seeds but produced by the division of cells on the parent, not by the union of two cells
Single celled reproductive structures
Easy to distribute over large areas due to their small size
Carried by wind, water, animals, etc.
Resistant to harsh conditions, remaining dormant until a suitable environment is available. This is when they germinate.
Found in some fungi, green algae, some molds, and non-flowering plants (ex.ferns, mosses).
Zoospores are spores that can move with a tail-like flagella, found in some algae

Fern Life Cycle - Alternation of Generation

Alternates between different forms (sporophyte & gametophyte)
- Sporophyte: diploid and produces spores from meiosis that divide repeatedly by mitosis to become multicellular gametophytes
- Gametophyte: haploid and produces gametes that must combine to form a zygote that divides by mitosis to become a sporophyte

Sexual Reproduction

Usually involves two individual organisms (the parents), producing offspring with a genetic combination of both parents
Produces genetically diverse offspring
The offspring have a mix of characteristics from each parent
Sexual reproduction does not always involve male and female parents, for example - flowering plants have both male and female parts on one plant
Relies on the union of two specialized sex cells known as gametes
- A gamete is a cell that joins with another gamete during reproduction
- Animals: male gamete (sperm), female gamete (egg cells or ova)
- Plants: pollen contains male gamete, ovules contain female gamete
Fertilization is the union of two sex cells to produce a zygote

Sexual Reproduction in Animals

Involves gametes, where the male gamete are sperm cells and female gametes are egg cells (ova)
The union of the sperm cell with the egg cell occurs during mating and is called fertilization
The cell created by the joining of the two gametes is known as a zygote
Most animals that live on land undergo internal fertilization, where fertilization happens within the body of the female
Other animals undergo external fertilization, where fertilization happens outside the body of the female

Sexual Reproduction in Plants

Embryo production usually happens inside a seed which protects the embryo and provides food (cotyledon) for the embryo when growing conditions are right
Plants produced as a result of cross-fertilization show some characteristics of both plants but are not identical to either plant

Advantages and Disadvantages of Asexual and Sexual Reproduction

Variation usually helps a species survive when the environment changes
The way an organism reproduces affects the variation in the offspring
Asexual reproduction produces no variation

Advantages of Asexual Reproduction

Does not require any specialized cells to produce a new organism
Can produce many organisms very quickly
There is no partner required
This is an advantage in places where the environment doesn't change very much (bacteria) and organisms can thrive (efficient)

Disadvantages of Asexual Reproduction

When the environment changes, all of the organisms will die if they do not have the ability to adapt
Limited diversity since the parent and offspring are identical
Reduces the population’s ability to adapt to environmental changes and resist disease

Advantages of Sexual Reproduction

Provides lots of variability within a species
Helps organisms survive in a changing environment

Disadvantages of Sexual Reproduction

Requires two parents
Can be time-consuming

Heritable Characteristics

Characteristics that are passed down from parents to offspring through genes
Examples include: eye color, hair color, and height

Cross-pollination

Occurs when pollen from one plant is carried to the stigma of another plant by wind, water or animals (bees or butterflies)

Cross-fertilization

Occurs when a grain of the pollen forms a long tube, which grows down the style into the ovary
The gametes unite to produce a zygote, which then develops into an embryo
Pollen grains & ovules are sacs that contain sex cells (gametes)

Binary Fission

A form of asexual reproduction, where a single-celled organism divides into two equal daughter cells
The parent cell replicates its DNA and then divides into two identical daughter cells.

Fertilization in Plants and Animals

In plants, fertilization occurs when a pollen grain from the stamen lands on the stigma of a flower and grows a pollen tube down to the ovary
In animals, fertilization occurs when a sperm cell from the male fertilizes an egg cell from the female

Discrete and Continuous Variation

Discrete variation is when a characteristic can only have a few distinct values
Continuous variation is when a characteristic can have any value within a range

Vegetative Reproduction from a Cutting

A portion of a plant is cut and placed in a suitable environment to grow roots
This is a common method of plant propagation in horticulture

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Description

This quiz explores two key reproduction methods in plants: vegetative reproduction and spore production. It examines how plants can propagate through fragments and specialized tissues, as well as the unique characteristics of spore formation. Test your knowledge on these essential plant processes.