Plant Kingdom Notes1. Characteristics of Plant Kingdom

A. Multicellular (Many-celled)

B. Eukaryotic (Has a Distinct Nucleus)

C. Autotroph (Makes its own food)

D. Cell wall made of cellulose (Good fiber for our diet)

What makes plants different from algae?

2. Benefits of PlantsOxygenFoodShelterPaperMedicineClothingFiber in our dietFossil Fuels

An Introduction to Paper Making 4:19 minutes

3. What plants need to survive:A. Sunlight—plants have adaptations to gather sunlight for photosynthesis

B. Water and minerals—all cells require a constant supply of water. Minerals are absorbed along with water.

C. Gas exchange—plants must exchange gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) to perform photosynthesis

D. Movement of water and nutrients— plants take up water and minerals with their roots, but make food in their leaves.

4. Plant Structures of Vascular PlantsVascular plants—plants with vessels to carry nutrients throughout the plant; this allowed plants to evolve to a larger size

A. Leavesa) Used for photosynthesis

b) Photosynthetic Equation:

6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2

c) Special structures • Stomata—opening in leaf to allow the exchange of O2,

CO2, and water vapor

• Cuticle—waxy covering to prevent water loss • Guard cell—regulates opening of the stomata

Light Energy

Spongy Mesophyll

Cuticle

Vascular Bundle

B. Roots—are used for:a) Absorption of minerals and water

b) Storage of starches

c) Anchor to ground

d) 2 main types of roots:• taproot—grow long and deep

to reach water below the surface

• fibrous—branched root system that grows close to the

surface

a) xylem—used to transport water UP

b) phloem—used to transport food DOWN

• Exceptions: nonvascular plants —no vessels to carry nutrients throughout plant

C. Stems—are used for water transportation (vascular plants)

• Mosses have no transportation system; therefore, they are small and close to the ground

D. Reproductiona) Spores—asexual

b) Cones—sexual

c) Flowers—contains the male and female sexual organs

d) Seed—fertilized egg

e) Fruit—mature ovary that contains one or more seeds

Pollen tubes(allows pollen to enter the ovary)

5. Plant Responses—Tropisms

A. Gravitropism—response to gravityPlants grow upwards out of the soil

and the roots grow down

B. Phototropism—response to lightPlants grow towards a light source

C. Thigmotropism—response to touchPlants that close up when touchedExample: Climbing plants or vines that twist around any object they touch

1. Adaptations—an inherited characteristic that increases an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce.

A. How do adaptations occur?a) Mutations—sudden changes in the

genetic code (DNA).

b) KEY POINT: Beneficial mutations allow organisms the ability to adapt and therefore, survive and reproduce.

Plant Adaptations for Survival and Reproduction

2. Adaptations for SurvivalA. Different environments:

a) Desert plants—able to tolerate strong winds, daytime heat, and infrequent rainfall.• Plants grow slowly• Plants have a deep root system to gather

water• Plants have thick stems to store large

amounts of water• Plants have spines instead of large leaves

to reduce water loss

Example: Cactus

b) Arctic Tundra• Plants are low growing and small due to lack of nutrients

B. Carnivorous Plants—have specialized features for obtaining nutrition

a) Pitcher Plantb) Venus Fly Trap

These plants are first and foremost autotrophs but can obtain additional nutrients from other organisms, too.

C. Defense Mechanismsa) Poisons—lethal when eaten

b) Chemicals that act as insect hormones—disrupt

normal growth and development

c) Thorns/thistles—undesirable or hard to eat

D. Leaf Adaptations—needle-like versus broad leaf

3. Adaptations for ReproductionA. Pollination—produces seeds by the transfer of pollen from

male reproductive structure to female reproductive structure

1) Cross Pollination – In this process, the pollen from one flower is transferred to the stigma of another plant of the same kind via an

insect • Carried out by animals (mainly insects and birds) that carry

pollen from one flower to another• Animals are attracted by bright colors, smell and nectar

(food)

Self Pollination – Some plants do not need outside help to transfer the pollen grains. They are able to pollinate themselves. Pollen is transferred from the anther to the stigma of the same flower or to the stigma of another flower of the same plant. • Less efficient, relies on large numbers of seeds• Examples: Wind pollination—less efficient,

relies on large numbers of spores

B. Seed Dispersala) Animal Dispersal• Fruits—provide nutrition

for animals and helps plants spread seeds• Burrs—get snagged on fur;

carry seeds from one area to another

b) Wind and Water Dispersal— lightweight seeds carried in the air or float on surface of water

When we're talking about flowering plants, there are two main types: Monocots and Dicots.

• Some examples of monocots are corn, grass, and palm trees.

• Dicots include oak trees, daisies, and roses.

Diversity

There are several signs that a plant is either a monocot or a dicot. Sometimes one of the signs won't help very much, or you won't be able to look at the part of the plant you need to. If one fails us, then we have other signs to fall back on.

Monocot vs Dicot

1. Monocots—named for the number of seed leaves in the plant embryo -1a. parallel leaf veinsb. flower parts in multiples of threesc. fibrous rootsd. xylem and phloem scattered in stem

2. Dicots—named for the number of seed leaves in the embryo - 2a. branched leaf veinsb. flowers parts in multiples of fours or fivesc. taprootsd. xylem and phloem oriented in rings in stems

Monocot or Dicot???

Monocot

Monocot

Dicot

Dicot

1. 2.

3. 4.

• Herbaceous plants – do NOT produce wood

• Woody plants – trees, shrubs and vines

How long do plants live?

• Annual Life Span – lives, reproduces and dies in one growing season

• Biennial Life Span – completes life cycle in two years

• Perennial Life Span – lives, reproduces and continues to grow from year to year (usually has woody stems)

Evolution of Vascular Plants

1.Ferns do not produce flowers, but reproduce from spores that form on the undersides of their fronds. (asexual reproduction)

2. Gymnosperms—“Gymnosperm” literally means “naked seed”. This is due to the fact that the seeds of gymnosperms are borne on structures that leave them exposed to the environment. • No flowers or fruits (makes cones instead)• Includes 3 phylums with the most common being

Phylum ConiferophytaEx: pine, fir, cypress, spruce, and redwood trees

3. Angiosperms—flowering plants where the seeds are protected by layers of tissue

• Represent the most diverse and evolutionarily advanced of any of the plants. You can find angiosperms just about anywhere on Earth in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

• Has flowers that contain ovaries (ovary develops into a fruit to protect a plant embryo)

Tissues1.) Dermal Tissue- the epidermis is usually a single layer of cells that secretes a waxy layer called a cuticle that inhibits the plant from losing water

Examples:• Epidermal cells- secrete a waxy layer to prevent water

loss (stem of plant, usually lack chloroplasts)• Guard cells- regulate gas exchange in leaves • Root hair- increase surface area of the cell to absorb

more nutrients

Dermal Tissue Examples

Tissues Continued…2.) Vascular Tissue- to transport water, minerals and food (glucose) throughout the plant

Examples:• Xylem- transports water from the roots to all parts of the

plant. “Xy to the sky!” (transports from the ground up)

• Phloem- transports sugar made in the leaves (photosynthesis) to the rest of the plant. “Phlo to the snow!” (transports from the leaves down)

Vascular Tissue Examples

7.) Transpiration- the movement of water out of guard cells of the leaves through evaporation

Transpiration

8.) Specilaized Cells in Plants

1.) Xylem Cells- have a thick cell wall to carry out its function of transporting a vast

amount of water

9.) Turgor Pressure- the water pressure inside plant cells. Water pushes against cell wall to keep plant rigid.

*When plant loses too much water, it loses turgor pressure and wilts.

Turgor Pressure