Concept explainers
Is long-distance sex possible in mosses?
Moss sperm are motile and capable of swimming short distances to fertilize an egg. However, it was unknown until recently how sperm make their way from male to female gametophytes that may be separated by a distance of several centimeters or more.
QUANTITATIVE Researchers hypothesized that small animals called springtails (a type of arthropod) facilitate sperm transfer in mosses. To test this hypothesis, the researchers grew patches of male and female mosses at varying distances from each other and in the presence or absence of springtails. They later checked to see how many sporophytes were found in each female patch (as an indicator that fertilization had occurred). Their results are shown below (** means P< 0.01, * means P< 0.05; see Bioskills 3 for help interpreting P values). What conclusions can be drawn about the role of the springtails during the reproductive cycle of the mosses?
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 28 Solutions
Biological Science (7th Edition)
- Discuss the life cycle of the brown algae Laminaria, which shows the alternating of generations.arrow_forwardSeeds and pollen grains are key adaptations for life on land. These adaptations relate to reproductive success and survival advantages. The following questions require you to explain some of these adaptations. A. Contrast sperm delivery in seedless plants with sperm delivery in seed plants. (5-6 sentence) B. Discuss at least one feature of seed plants that contributed to their success on land in contrast with seedless plants. (2-3 sentences) C. Flowering plants (Magnoliophyta) are the most successful of all plant groups in terms of their species diversity and ubiquity across habitat types. Climate warming is causing shifts in the timing of life history events for many species. Discuss how climate warming may influence reproductive strategies employed by flowering plants. (2-3 sentence)arrow_forwardImagine hypothetical moss and fern trees, each 10 m tall. Which would face the greater barriers to sexual reproduction? Why?arrow_forward
- Compare the Venn diagram of sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction in plants. Where in the diagram would you add identical to parent A)a B)b C)c D)darrow_forwardDo the multicellular sex structures of plants give them any advantages over other organisms with unicellular sex structures?arrow_forwardWhich of the following processes occurs in a plant's sexual life cycle? sporophytes produce gametes by meiosis sporophytes produce gametes by mitosis gametophytes produce gametes by meiosis gametophytes produce gametes by mitosisarrow_forward
- Indicate the ploidy number for each of the following cells indicated on the life cycle diagram above. Haploid = 1 and Diploid = 2. zygote Answer basidiospores Answer basidium with four nuclei Answer mycelia Answerarrow_forwardIndicate the ploidy number for each of the following cells indicated on the life cycle diagram above. Haploid = 1 and Diploid = 2. zygote Answer basidiospores Answer basidium with four nuclei Answer mycelia Answerarrow_forwardLabel the diagram below of alternation of generations in flowering plants.arrow_forward
- Please connect the concepts in the first column with the definitions in the second columnarrow_forwardFern Prothallus Describe the process of fertilization in fernsarrow_forwardIn ferns, which of these would be formed by meiosis inside a sporangium? haploid spores diploid spores diploid zygote haploid spermarrow_forward
- Biology (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781337392938Author:Eldra Solomon, Charles Martin, Diana W. Martin, Linda R. BergPublisher:Cengage Learning