Plant diversity 1

What distinguishes plants from other Eukaryotes?

Plants must carry out all aspects of life without moving; they are stationary.

What do most plants have in common?

They belong to the Domain Eukarya and Kingdom Plantae.

How do plants acquire energy?

They are multicellular organisms that use photosynthesis.

What challenge did ancient land plants face regarding dehydration?

They needed to prevent desiccation, or dehydration.

How did plants adapt to withstand gravity?

Early plants grew close to the ground like mosses.

Why are non-vascular plants usually small and low to the ground?

They don't need extensive support and lack vascular structures.

In what type of environments do non-vascular plants tend to live?

They tend to live only in moist environments.

What is the main reason non-vascular plants require water for reproduction?

They need water to transport their sperm for reproduction.

What are the three groups included in 'non-vascular' plants?

Hornworts, liverworts, and mosses.

What is a key mode of transport for materials in non-vascular plants?

Materials are moved within the plant via diffusion.

Which stage of the plant life cycle is dominant in non-vascular plants?

The Gametophyte generation is dominant.

What structure does the sporophyte have in mosses?

The sporophyte grows as a stalk with a spore capsule on top.

How do non-vascular plants transport sperm?

They require water to transport their swimming sperm.

How are spores in non-vascular plants transported?

Spores are transported by wind after being released from the sporophyte capsule.

What is a peat bog?

A habitat containing decomposed Sphagnum moss in water-logged conditions.

How are peat bogs formed?

They form from dead plants decomposing extremely slowly due to low oxygen.

Why are peat bogs ecologically important?

They store vast amounts of carbon, accumulating twice as much as all forests combined.

What are some human uses of peat?

Used for fuel, soil addition, and as an ingredient in Scotch whisky.

Why is the evolution of vascular tissue important for plants?

It allowed for better transportation and storage of water, nutrients, and sugars.

What are the two main types of tissues in vascular plants?

Xylem and Phloem.

What is the dominant stage in the life cycle of seedless vascular plants?

The Sporophyte stage is dominant.

What are sporangia?

They are spore-producing bodies found on the leaves of diploid ferns.

How are fern sperm transported?

Ferns rely on water to transport their swimming sperm.

How are fern spores transported?

Spores are carried by wind to new locations.

What adaptations did early plants develop to cope with dehydration?

They developed a waxy cuticle covering their surface.

How did the evolution of vascular tissue allow plants to grow bigger?

It enabled more efficient movement of materials within the plant.

What effect did vascular tissue have on plants' dependence on water?

It made them less dependent on a constant source of water.

How did vascular plants develop deeper roots?

Vascular tissue allowed them to extend further into the soil.

What does the term 'Alternation of Generations' refer to in plants?

The lifecycle includes distinct sporophyte and gametophyte generations.

What is the appearance of the dominant gametophyte in non-vascular plants?

It is typically larger, can live independently and is the main plant form.

In what environments do you commonly find non-vascular plants?

Wet or moist environments.

Why are peat bogs significant to carbon storage globally?

They hold accumulated carbon due to slow decomposition over time.

What role do spore capsules play in a plant's lifecycle?

They release spores for reproduction and spread to new locations.

How do ferns reproduce, given their sperm requires water?

Ferns reproduce with swimming sperm needing water for fertilization.

What does it mean that the sporophyte is a diploid form?

It contains two sets of chromosomes.

Why do plants need to transport materials efficiently?

To support growth and development and adapt to terrestrial environments.