Question 1

In addition to the various synapomorphies present in the stoneworts, the most compelling evidence that they are the sister group of land plants is based on _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In addition to the various synapomorphies present...

Question 2

Which of the following regarding vascular plant evolution is false?

Accepted Answer

The fossil record actually shows that vascular plants appeared on land before the first land animals, making statement A false.

Question 3

In recent years, atmospheric levels of CO₂ have increased and resulted in a global temperature change.With regard to leaf structure, this increase in CO₂ could mean less selective pressure for _______, which would ultimately drive selection for a reduction in leaf area.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In recent years, atmospheric levels of CO₂...

Question 4

Hydrocarbons play two roles in algae: an energy reserve and a way to increase bouancy.The latter is important because it maximizes exposure to _______, providing energy for the algae to fix CO₂.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Hydrocarbons play two roles in algae: an...

Question 5

In a liverwort in nature, the larger, more visible plant is the _______, whereas in horsetails, the larger, more visible plant is the _______.

Accepted Answer

In liverworts, the gametophyte is the dominant, more visible stage of the life cycle, whereas in horsetails, the sporophyte is the dominant, more visible stage.

Question 6

Without water, the fern life cycle could not be completed because sperm would be unable to reach the eggs and a new _______—a structure that can survive for hundreds of years in some species—could not form.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Without water, the fern life cycle could...

Question 7

_______ are believed to have evolved from sterile sporangia.Evidence that supports this claim includes the organization of the vasculature found in these structures.

Accepted Answer

The answer of _______ are believed to have evolved from...

Question 8

Which statement about plant life cycles is true?

Accepted Answer

B) Homosporous plants evolved before heterosporous plants. This is true because in the evolutionary history of plants, the simpler homosporous condition, where a single type of spore develops into a bisexual gametophyte, is considered ancestral. Heterospory, where plants produce two distinct types of spores (male and female), is seen as an evolutionary advancement that occurred later.

Question 9

Despite being the largest clade of green algae, _______ are not believed to have given rise to land plants.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Despite being the largest clade of green...

Question 10

Unlike the other groups of nonvascular plants, the _______ sporophyte has no stalk and is persistently green-a trait shared with vascular plants.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Unlike the other groups of nonvascular plants,...

Question 11

In a plant species that has alternation of generations,

Accepted Answer

Alternation of generations refers to the cycle where haploid and diploid stages alternate, both having a multicellular stage. In plants, the haploid generation is called the gametophyte and the diploid generation is called the sporophyte. The gametophyte produces haploid gametes through mitosis, while the sporophyte produces haploid spores through meiosis. The spores grow into the multicellular gametophyte, and the cycle repeats.

Question 12

Based on the figure below, which conclusion can you make about the evolution of vascular plants?

Accepted Answer

Monilophytes (ferns and their relatives) and seed plants (gymnosperms and angiosperms) are both included in the larger clade known as euphyllophytes. This means that they share a common ancestor with a true leaf called a euphyll. Therefore, the evolution of vascular plants can be characterized by the development of true leaves, which are present in both monilophytes and seed plants. The other options do not accurately reflect the evolutionary relationships shown in the figure.

Question 13

Morphological structures, both micro- and macroscopic, have been used as evidence to support the idea that land plants arose from a green algae clade.Of these structures, the one that contributed most to the success of plants on land was

Accepted Answer

The cuticle, a waxy protective layer on the epidermis of leaves and stems, significantly contributed to the success of plants on land by reducing water loss and providing protection from microbial attack, enabling plants to adapt to terrestrial environments.

Question 14

Primary endosymbiosis gave rise to ________ in the clade of photosynthetic eukaryotes.

Accepted Answer

Primary endosymbiosis is the process by which a eukaryotic cell engulfs a prokaryotic cell, which then evolves into an organelle. Chloroplasts, the organelles responsible for photosynthesis, are believed to have arisen from primary endosymbiosis of a photosynthetic cyanobacterium by a eukaryotic cell. Therefore, chloroplasts are the structure that arose from primary endosymbiosis in the clade of photosynthetic eukaryotes.

Question 15

Protection of the embryo by parental tissue was a defining step in the evolution of

Accepted Answer

Embryophytes, also known as land plants, are characterized by the presence of embryonic tissue protected by parental tissue. This adaptation allowed for the colonization of land and is considered a defining step in the evolution of land plants. Gymnosperms, which include plants like conifers, also have embryos, but they are not fully protected by parental tissue as in the case of angiosperms. Coleochaetophytes and green algae are aquatic and do not have embryos. Streptophytes, which include a variety of algae and land plants, share many characteristics with embryophytes but may not have the same level of protective tissue around the embryo.

Question 16

Land plants likely arose from a green alga, such as an ancient stonewort species.If you could go back in time and examine them, what feature would you look for to distinguish an early land plant from a stonewort?

Accepted Answer

A cuticle is a waxy layer on the surface of a plant that prevents water loss. Stoneworts, which live in water, would not have a cuticle. Early land plants, on the other hand, would need a cuticle to prevent drying out in the air.

Answer: E
 Tracheids are specialized water-conducting cells found in vascular plants. They are an important adaptation for land plants that need to transport water from their roots to their leaves without drying out. Stoneworts do not have tracheids or any other specialized water-conducting cells, as they live in water and have much simpler transport systems.

Question 17

You recover a fossil from the Devonian period that appears to be a large sporophyte with a stem that grows in segments above whorls of true leaves.Based on this description, you identify the specimen as a _______, which is one member of a clade containing only itself and ferns.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You recover a fossil from the Devonian...

Question 18

Structures found in individuals with a _______ life cycle include microgametophytes and megagametophytes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Structures found in individuals with a _______...

Question 19

Which characteristic is a synapomorphy for green algae and land plants?

Accepted Answer

Chlorophyll b is a synapomorphy for green algae and land plants, as both groups share this pigment, which is not found in other algal groups.

Question 20

Though _______ contain true roots, they differ from other members of the tracheophytes because of the arrangement of their vasculature.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Though _______ contain true roots, they differ...

Quiz 27: Plants Without Seeds: From Water to Land

In addition to the various synapomorphies present in the stoneworts, the most compelling evidence that they are the sister group of land plants is based on _______.

Which of the following regarding vascular plant evolution is false?

In recent years, atmospheric levels of CO₂ have increased and resulted in a global temperature change.With regard to leaf structure, this increase in CO₂ could mean less selective pressure for _______, which would ultimately drive selection for a reduction in leaf area.

Hydrocarbons play two roles in algae: an energy reserve and a way to increase bouancy.The latter is important because it maximizes exposure to _______, providing energy for the algae to fix CO₂.

In a liverwort in nature, the larger, more visible plant is the _, whereas in horsetails, the larger, more visible plant is the _.

Without water, the fern life cycle could not be completed because sperm would be unable to reach the eggs and a new _______—a structure that can survive for hundreds of years in some species—could not form.

_______ are believed to have evolved from sterile sporangia.Evidence that supports this claim includes the organization of the vasculature found in these structures.

Which statement about plant life cycles is true?

Despite being the largest clade of green algae, _______ are not believed to have given rise to land plants.

Unlike the other groups of nonvascular plants, the _______ sporophyte has no stalk and is persistently green-a trait shared with vascular plants.

In a plant species that has alternation of generations,

Based on the figure below, which conclusion can you make about the evolution of vascular plants?

Morphological structures, both micro- and macroscopic, have been used as evidence to support the idea that land plants arose from a green algae clade.Of these structures, the one that contributed most to the success of plants on land was

Primary endosymbiosis gave rise to ________ in the clade of photosynthetic eukaryotes.

Protection of the embryo by parental tissue was a defining step in the evolution of

Land plants likely arose from a green alga, such as an ancient stonewort species.If you could go back in time and examine them, what feature would you look for to distinguish an early land plant from a stonewort?

You recover a fossil from the Devonian period that appears to be a large sporophyte with a stem that grows in segments above whorls of true leaves.Based on this description, you identify the specimen as a _______, which is one member of a clade containing only itself and ferns.

Structures found in individuals with a _______ life cycle include microgametophytes and megagametophytes.

Which characteristic is a synapomorphy for green algae and land plants?

Though _______ contain true roots, they differ from other members of the tracheophytes because of the arrangement of their vasculature.

Quiz 27: Plants Without Seeds: From Water to Land

In addition to the various synapomorphies present in the stoneworts, the most compelling evidence that they are the sister group of land plants is based on _______.

Which of the following regarding vascular plant evolution is false?

In recent years, atmospheric levels of CO2 have increased and resulted in a global temperature change.With regard to leaf structure, this increase in CO2 could mean less selective pressure for _______, which would ultimately drive selection for a reduction in leaf area.

Hydrocarbons play two roles in algae: an energy reserve and a way to increase bouancy.The latter is important because it maximizes exposure to _______, providing energy for the algae to fix CO2.

In a liverwort in nature, the larger, more visible plant is the _______, whereas in horsetails, the larger, more visible plant is the _______.

Without water, the fern life cycle could not be completed because sperm would be unable to reach the eggs and a new _______—a structure that can survive for hundreds of years in some species—could not form.

_______ are believed to have evolved from sterile sporangia.Evidence that supports this claim includes the organization of the vasculature found in these structures.

Which statement about plant life cycles is true?

Despite being the largest clade of green algae, _______ are not believed to have given rise to land plants.

Unlike the other groups of nonvascular plants, the _______ sporophyte has no stalk and is persistently green-a trait shared with vascular plants.

In a plant species that has alternation of generations,

Based on the figure below, which conclusion can you make about the evolution of vascular plants?

Morphological structures, both micro- and macroscopic, have been used as evidence to support the idea that land plants arose from a green algae clade.Of these structures, the one that contributed most to the success of plants on land was

Primary endosymbiosis gave rise to ________ in the clade of photosynthetic eukaryotes.

Protection of the embryo by parental tissue was a defining step in the evolution of

Land plants likely arose from a green alga, such as an ancient stonewort species.If you could go back in time and examine them, what feature would you look for to distinguish an early land plant from a stonewort?

You recover a fossil from the Devonian period that appears to be a large sporophyte with a stem that grows in segments above whorls of true leaves.Based on this description, you identify the specimen as a _______, which is one member of a clade containing only itself and ferns.

Structures found in individuals with a _______ life cycle include microgametophytes and megagametophytes.

Which characteristic is a synapomorphy for green algae and land plants?

Though _______ contain true roots, they differ from other members of the tracheophytes because of the arrangement of their vasculature.

In recent years, atmospheric levels of CO₂ have increased and resulted in a global temperature change.With regard to leaf structure, this increase in CO₂ could mean less selective pressure for _______, which would ultimately drive selection for a reduction in leaf area.

Hydrocarbons play two roles in algae: an energy reserve and a way to increase bouancy.The latter is important because it maximizes exposure to _______, providing energy for the algae to fix CO₂.

In a liverwort in nature, the larger, more visible plant is the _, whereas in horsetails, the larger, more visible plant is the _.