The different Phyla (or Divisions as they are called in Botany) represent a diff
ID: 277923 • Letter: T
Question
The different Phyla (or Divisions as they are called in Botany) represent a different stage in the transition of plants from being aquatic to completely terrestrial. This took millions of years, and yet we still see very "primitive" plants alive today. 1. Apply the characteristics of each phylum to this trend of increasing adaptation of plants to terrestrial life. What specific trait evolved to allow each step "away" from water? 2. Compare and contrast the existence of "primitive" plants to the continued presence of ancient, anaerobic bacteria that can still be found. How is this possible?Explanation / Answer
a.
The four important features that lead to development of land plants is as follows:
a. Development of Stomata/waxy cuticle: present in non-vascular plants, as an adaptation to prevent desiccation, a constant danger for organsims exposed to air.
b. development of vasculature: seedless vascular plants
c. Non-flowery seed plants: evloution of seeds for reproduction
d. flowering seed plants
Alternation of generations: Most plants exhibit alternation of generations, which is described as haplodiplodontic. The gametophyte gives rise to gametes or reproductive structures, whereas the sporophyte stage is the vegetative stage. Sporophyte stage is barely noticeable in lower plants, whereas the stage is predominant in higher plants.
Apical meristems enables plants to have rapid growth at the tips. Vascular structures like xylem and phloem helped conducting water and nutrients. Stomata are present under the leaves to regulate exchange of gasses. Land plants developed to have flavanoid pigments to protect from ultra violet rays.
2.
The primitive plants like bryophytes still exist since they are able to live under the shade of large plants. While ancient plants are still perform oxygenic photosynthesis using water as a source of electron donor, ancient bacteria can perform photosythesis using several inorganic material as electron sources. They can use elemental sulfur, nitrate or nitrites, ferrous ions, or reduced sulfates as their electron sources and can perform anoxygenic photosynthesis.
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