Evolution of Land Plants and the Atmosphere

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to the evolution of land plants, their anatomy, and their impact on the atmosphere and ecosystems, based on the lecture notes.

Tetrapods

Four-limbed vertebrates that transitioned from water to land.

LUCA

Last Universal Common Ancestor, suggesting all plants evolved from a shared ancestor.

Vascular plants

Plants that have specialized structures for transporting water and nutrients.

Non-vascular plants

Plants without a vascular system; they absorb water and nutrients directly through cell walls.

Cohesion

The attraction between water molecules that helps them stay together.

Transpiration

The process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from plants.

Algae

Simple non-flowering plants of a large group that includes seaweeds and pond scum.

Progymnosperms

Early vascular plants that are significant in the evolution of seed plants.

Coal Age

A period during the Carboniferous when vast swamps produced large deposits of coal.

Carbon capture and sequestration

Technologies that capture carbon dioxide emissions and store them underground.

Anthracite

The highest rank of coal, known for its high carbon content and heating value.

O2 (Oxygen) levels

The concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere, which has changed over geological timescales.

Methylmercury

A toxic compound derived from mercury that accumulates in aquatic food chains.

Xylem

The vascular tissue in plants responsible for the transport of water and nutrients.

Spores

Reproductive cells capable of developing into an organism without fusion with another cell.

Echinoderms

A phylum of marine animals characterized by a hard, spiny covering or skin.

Ferns

A group of plants that reproduce via spores and have complex leaves.

Gymnosperms

Seed-producing plants that do not form flowers or fruits.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within a carpel.

Ecosystem changes

Alterations in the structure and function of an ecosystem, often due to biological or environmental factors.