Chapter Objectives

1. List characteristics that distinguish plants from other organisms in other kingdoms
2. Diagram a generalized plant life cycle indicating which generation is the sporophyte or gametophyte, which are haploid or diploid, and where meiosis and mitosis occur
3. Describe 4 major periods of plant evolution that opened up new adaptive zones on land
4. Distinguish between division and phylum
5. Using the classification scheme in your text list the plant divisions, give the common name for each division, and categorize the groups into nonvascular, vascular seedless, and vascular seed plants
6. Provide evidence to defend the position that plants evolved from green algae
7. Describe 2 adaptations that made a bryophyte move onto land possible
8. Explain how Bryophytes are still tied to water
9. List and distinguish among the 3 groups of Bryophytes
10. Diagram the life cycle of a moss, including gamete production, fertilization, and spore production
11. Compare environmental conditions faced by algae in an aquatic environment and plants in a terrestrial environment
12. Provide evidence that suggests Bryophyta is a phylogenetic branch separate from vascular plants
13. Describe adaptations of vascular plants, including life cycle modifications and sporophyte modifications that have contributed to their success on land
14. List and distinguish among the 4 extant groups of seedless vascular plants
15. Distinguish between homosporous and heterosporous
16. Distinguish among spore, sporophyte, sporophyll, and sporangium
17. Diagram the life cycle of a fern including spore production, gamete production, and fertilization
18. Point out the major life cycle differences between mosses and ferns
19. Describe how coal is formed and during which geological period the most extensive coal beds were produced

 

****************************

20. Describe the adaptations of seed plants that have contributed to their success on land
21. List the 4 groups of Gymnosperms
22. Describe and distinguish between the structures of ovulate and pollen cones of a pine
23. Describe the life history of a pine and indicate which structures are part of the gametophyte generation and which are part of the sporophyte generation
24. Point out the major life cycle differences in ferns and pines
25. Distinguish between pollination and fertilization
26. Describe a pine seed and indicate which structures are old sporophyte, gametophyte, and new sporophyte
27. Describe how the needle-shaped leaves of pines and firs are adapted to dry conditions
28. Compare the life cycles of mosses, ferns, conifers, and flowering plants n terms of
    1. dominant life cycle stage (sporophyte or gametophyte)
    2. homosporous or heterosporous spore production
    3. gamete transfer mechanism
29. Describe refinements in vascular tissue that occurred during angiosperm evolution
30. Explain how the evolution of the flower enhanced the reproductive efficiency of angiosperms
31. Identify the following floral structures and describe a function for each
    1. sepals
    2. petals
    3. stamens
    4. carpels
    5. filament
    6. anther
    7. stigma
    8. style
    9. ovary
32. Describe 4 commonly recognized evolutionary trends in floral structure found in various angiosperm lineages
33. Define fruit and explain how fruits are modified in ways that help disperse seeds
34. Diagram the generalized life cycle of an angiosperm, identify which structures are haploid, and explain how it differs from the life cycle of a pine
35. Explain the process of double fertilization and describe the fate of the polyploid nucleus
36. Explain how an angiosperm seed differs from that of a pine
37. Explain why paleobotanists have difficulty piecing together the origin of angiosperms and describe some current theories on how flowering plants may have evolved
38. Explain how animals may have influenced the evolution of terrestrial plants and vice versa

Chapter Terms:

Chapter Outline Framework

1. An Overview of Plant Evolution
   1. Structural, chemical, and reproductive adaptations enabled plants to colonize land
   2. The history of terrestrial adaptation is the key to modern plant diversity
2. Origins of Plants
   1. Plants probably evolved from green algae called charophytes
   2. Alternation of generations in plants may have evolved from delayed meiosis
   3. Adaptations to shallow water may have preadapted plants for life on land
3. Bryophytes
   1. Embryophyte adaptation evolved in bryophytes
   2. Gametophyte is dominant generation
   3. Mosses, liverworts, hornworts
4. Origin of Vascular Plants
   1. Additional terrestrial adaptations evolved as vascular plants descended from bryophyte-like ancestors
   2. Branched sporophytes of vascular plants amplified the production of spores and made complex bodies possible
5. Seedless Vascular Plants
1. A sporophyte-dominant life cycle evolved in seedless vascular plants
2. Lycophytes, horsetails, ferns
3. Seedless vascular plants formed vast coal forests during the Carboniferous period
6. Overview of Reproductive Adaptations of Seed Plants
   1. Gametophytes of seed plants became even more reduced than the gametophytes of seedless vascular plants
   2. Seed replaces spore as main means of dispersing offspring
   3. Pollen becomes vehicle for sperm cells in seed plants
7. Gymnosperms
   1. Age of Gymnosperms = Mesozoic
   2. Cycads, ginkgo, gnetophytes, conifers
   3. Pine life cycle is representative of key reproductive adaptations of seed plants
8. Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)
   1. Terrestrial adaptation continued with refinement of vascular tissue in angiosperms
   2. Flower is defining reproduction adaptation of angiosperms
   3. Fruits help disperse angiosperm seeds
   4. Angiosperm life cycle is highly refined version of alternation of generations common to all plants
   5. Radiation of angiosperms marks transition from Mesozoic to Cenozoic
   6. Angiosperms and animals have shaped each others evolution
   7. Agriculture is based almost entirely on angiosperms
9. Global Impact of Plants
   1. Transform atmosphere and climate
   2. Plant diversity is a nonrenewable resource

back to top