Chapter 1 Introduction to Plant Biology Botany Chapter 1 Introduction to Plant Biology

Objective #1 Explain the ecological role of plants with regard to the atmosphere, energy flow, and the structural components of life.

Objective #2 List and describe several ways in which plants have contributed to the evolution of human civilization

Objective #3 Explain several ways modern human society depends upon plants. Include examples of how biotechnology can be used to enhance the benefit of plants to humanity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfeTtsaZ0pQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWQddH_05Gg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPRqRjCT_vE

Objective #4 Describe the distinguishing features of the kingdom Plantae

Objective #5 Categorize the major plant taxa, giving examples. Distinguish bryophytes from the vascular plants Distinguish between seed plants and seedless vascular plants Distinguish between flowering and nonflowering vascular plants

And now, some video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4L3r _XJW0I

Algae Plantlike (autotrophic) protists Unicellular or Colonial Aquatic (live in water) The Chlorophytes (green algae) appear to be ancestral to the plants

Terrestrial (Land) Plants The move from aquatic habitat to land creates a number of problems: Protection against drying Transport of sperm to egg Structural support Plants that have specialized adaptations to solve these problems can live in drier environments, while those that do not are restricted to moist environments

Protection against drying Water loss in plants is called Transpiration Terrestrial plants are protected against transpiration by: Epidermis Waxy “cuticle” Stomata

Transport of sperm to egg Algae and aquatic plants, since they live in water, have a natural unbroken water pathway for sperm to swim to the egg Seedless plants can only reproduce sexually under moist conditions. The “gametophyte” is low to the ground and only grows in moist habitats Seed plants are less restricted because they provide an internal water pathway in a specialized “pollen tube”

Structural Support Algae and aquatic plants are supported by the buoyancy of the water they live in. Bryophytes, which lack strong supportive tissues, are very small and low to the ground Tracheophytes, supported by a series of hollow tubes with thickened cell walls, can grow much taller

Bryophytes Lack vascular tissue Reproduce with spores Mosses Liverworts

Tracheophytes – Vascular plants Vascular tissue provides advantages Efficient transport of water and nutrients Structural support

Vascular Seedless Plants Ferns and Horsetails Have vascular tissue Reproduce with Spores http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN8c_X0LNcg

Seed Plants Seeds provide many advantages over spores Stored food Protection Mechanisms for dispersal Flowering Plants – Apple seeds Conifers – Pine seeds

Gymnosperms (Conifers) Vascular, seed producing plants “naked seed” – seeds are not completely enclosed by the ripened ovary Generally have needle-like (pines) or scale-like (cedars) leaves

Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) Vascular seed plants Have a wide variety of adaptations for transferring pollen Seeds mature inside of the ripened ovary of the flower, forming “fruit” which protects, nourishes, and aids dispersal of the seeds

Objective #6 Identify several subdisciplines within the field of botany Systematics Classification and Taxonomy Physiology Function Anatomy Structure Morphology Life Cycles Ecology Interactions Genetics Heredity

Vocabulary List Alkaloids Primary producer Autotroph Heterotroph Eukaryote Prokaryote Indeterminate growth Determinate growth Bryophyte Vascular tissue Seed Gymnosperm Angiosperm