PLANT EVOLUTION & CLASSIFICATION

25 Jun PLANT EVOLUTION & CLASSIFICATION

Question
Plant Evolution & Classification

Objectives

· Discuss the organization of plants.

· Compare and contrast nonvascular and vascular plants.

· Describe the basic groups of plants.

· Discuss how plants have changes in form and function as they have diversified in a terrestrial environment.

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Introduction

Plants are another type of eukaryote. Unlike animal cells, plant cells undergo cellular respiration as well as photosynthesis. Cellular respiration (production of ATP) occurs in the mitochondria and photosynthesis (production of glucose) occurs in the chloroplast. Also, land plants have a unique reproductive cycle called alternation of generation. The cycle incorporates a haploid stage of life (gametophyte generation) and a diploid stage of life (sporophyte generation). Gametophytes produce gametes (egg and sperm) by mitosis that unite to form the diploid sporophyte. Meiosis occurs in a sporophyte which produces haploid spores.

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Laboratory Activities
Exercise 1: Survey of Major Plant Groups
Protocol:

Review the information covered in your textbook and lecture notes, and fill in the chart below. This chart will help you complete the Venn diagram in Exercise 2.

Bryophytes (e.g., mosses)

Seedless Vascular Plants (e.g., ferns)

Gymnosperms

Angiosperms

Plant size at maturity (i.e., sm., med., lg., variable)

Describe how reproduction/

fertilization occurs (relevant details are required)

Is there an internal system for water transport?

Identify the key evolutionary structures associated with each group

Exercise 2: nonvascular vs. Vascular Plants
Protocol:

Review the information you recorded in your table of major plant groups, and place each characteristic and adaptation of nonvascular and vascular plants in the Venn diagram below. Write the characteristics and adaptations that belong only to nonvascular or vascular plants in the appropriate circle. For those characteristics and adaptations that apply to both, write them in the portion in which the circles overlap. If a characteristic or adaptation is not the same for all members of a particular group (i.e. non-vascular or vascular), you should qualify your answer. For example, if you were including seeds under vascular plants, you could write it as follows: seeds (gymnosperms and angiosperms).

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Nonvascular Plants Vascular Plants

Exercise 3: Plant Observation & Illustration
Protocol:

Explore your local area to find plants that have the requisite characteristic or adaptation indicated below. Draw them in the space provided; alternatively, you may find it easier to draw them on a separate piece of paper, take a picture of them and attach the photo images to the assignment when you upload it for grading. If you know the common name for the plant, please include it with your drawing. If the time of the year prevents you from finding live specimens, you may use online photos, provided you cite the source.

1. Find and draw a plant that has xylem & phloem.

Common Name: ________________

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Which group of plants is it characterized as:

Non-vascular
Seedless vascular
Seed-bearing Vascular

2. Find and draw a plant that does NOT have xylem & phloem.

Common Name: ________________

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Which group of plants is it characterized as:

Non-vascular
Seedless vascular
Seed-bearing Vascular

3. Find and draw a plant that requires water for reproduction.

Common Name: ________________

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Which group of plants is it characterized as:

Non-vascular
Seedless vascular
Seed-bearing Vascular

4. Find and draw a plant that is wind pollinated.

Common Name: ________________

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Which group of plants is it characterized as:

Non-vascular
Seedless vascular
Seed-bearing Vascular

5. Find and draw a plant that requires an animal for pollination.

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Exercise 4: Evolution of Terrestrial Plants
Protocol:

Use your table of major plant groups, the Venn diagram, and the living specimens you collected and drew, to write an essay that compares and contrasts the characteristics and adaptations of plants since they first colonized land. Remember to include the following plant groups in your essay:

Non-vascular plants
Seedless vascular plants
Seed-bearing vascular plants (both gymnosperms and angiosperms)