Tutorial questions for BIO 102- 2018.
Lecture 7: (22 marks)
1. Name any 3 major special adaptations have land plants have evolved over the last 500
mya that facilitate their adaptations for life on dry land- 6 marks
(any 3 of the adaptations below and the associated reason for adaptation)
waxy cuticle- protection from drying, prevents desiccation
stomates- for gaseous exchange through cuticle
xylem & phloem- water & nutrient conducting systems
seeds- Embryo- I n protective structure.
2. Are land plants monophyletic or polyphyletic? Explain your answer – 2 marks
Monophyletic
All land plants have a single common ancestor
3. Are gametes produced by mitosis or meiosis? Explain your answer - 2 mark
Mitosis
4. True or false- Mosses live alone as single organisms? Explain your answer- 2 marks
False
Mosses live in large groups- often rocks/soil/wood in a matt of tightly bunched
individuals
5. Name any two groups of land pants have swimming sperm? – 2 marks
mosses, liverworts, hornworts or ferns
6. Relating to question 5- What does swimming sperm mean for these groups of plants, with
regards to the environments in which they live? – 2 marks
Reproduction is reliant on the presence of water…in both instances thin films of water
are sufficient for the sperm to become mobile and find their way to the
7. List 4 services provided by seedless vascular plants – 4 marks
(any of the four below)
Help form soil when they die.
Also hold soil in place to prevent erosion.
Ferns serve as house plants.
Food (some are cooked and eaten).
Formed coal
8. What is the major difference between ferns and bryophytes when it comes to 1n vs 2n
generation dominance? – 2 marks
Bryophyte- life-cycle dominated by haploid stage
Ferns- Life cycle dominated by diploid stage
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Lecture 8: (22 marks)
1. List 5 main characteristics of seed plants? 5 Marks
(any 5 of the listed points below)
Seeds
Reduced gametophytes (comprise few cells)
Heterospory (production of both micro- and megaspores)
Ovules (contains the female germ cell)
Pollen (produce male gametes)
Multicellular, autotrophic, vascular tissue
Alternation of generations
2. What is the major difference between mechanisms of pollen dispersal in the seed plants
and sperm dispersal in the mosses and ferns? – 2 marks
Pollin dispersed by wind and animals- passive dispersal
Sperm actively swim with the aid of flagella- active dispersal
3. Regarding question 2, what is the significance of the major mechanism difference? – 2
marks
Passive dispersal by wind/ animals meant that fertilization could take place in the
absence of water
This was crucial for the successful invasion of plants away from areas characterized
by lots of water/rainfall/high humidity etc. Arid zones could not be invaded by plants.
4. List any 9 characteristics of Angiosperms – 9 marks
Flowers
Endosperm
Fruits
Phloem with companion cells (specialized parenchyma cell)
for H2O storage, physical support
Double fertilization
Ovules and seeds enclosed in a carpel
Xylem contains vessel elements and fibres
H2O conductance and mechanical support respectively
Reduced gametophytes
Production of nutritive tissue called the endosperm
5. Multiple choice: Which structure/feature is not present on the male sex organs in a
flower? – 1 mark
a) Stamen
b) Filament
c) Stigma
d) Anther
b.) stigma- part of female
6. Multiple choice: Which phyla does not belong to the gymnosperms? – 1 mark
a) Cycadophyta
b) Gingkophyta
c) Bryophyta
d) Coniferophyta
c.) Bryophyta
7. True or false: Angiosperms pre-date gymnosperms in the fossil record? What is the
earliest fossil record for the first seed plants – 2 marks
False
Gymnosperms are an ancient group, dating back as far as 242-66 Mya.
