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Ch. 29 - Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized Land
Campbell - Campbell Biology 12th Edition
Urry12th EditionCampbell BiologyISBN: 9785794169850Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksUrry 12th EditionCh. 29 - Plant Diversity I: How Plants Colonized LandProblem 6
Chapter 29, Problem 6

Identify each of the following structures as haploid or diploid.
a. Sporophyte
b. Spore
c. Gametophyte
d. Zygote

Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the definitions: Haploid cells contain one set of chromosomes (n), while diploid cells contain two sets of chromosomes (2n).
Identify the sporophyte: In the life cycle of plants, the sporophyte is the diploid phase that produces spores through meiosis.
Identify the spore: Spores are haploid cells produced by the sporophyte that can develop into a gametophyte.
Identify the gametophyte: The gametophyte is the haploid phase that produces gametes through mitosis.
Identify the zygote: The zygote is formed when two gametes fuse during fertilization, resulting in a diploid cell.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Haploid vs Diploid

Haploid cells contain one complete set of chromosomes, denoted as 'n', while diploid cells have two sets, denoted as '2n'. In the life cycle of plants, haploid cells are involved in gamete formation, whereas diploid cells are involved in growth and development. Understanding these terms is crucial for identifying the ploidy level of different plant structures.
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Plant Life Cycle

The plant life cycle alternates between two generations: the haploid gametophyte and the diploid sporophyte. The gametophyte produces gametes through mitosis, while the sporophyte arises from the fusion of gametes, forming a zygote. This alternation of generations is fundamental to understanding the roles and ploidy of plant structures like sporophytes and gametophytes.
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Sporophyte and Gametophyte

Sporophytes are the diploid phase in the plant life cycle, responsible for producing spores through meiosis. Gametophytes are the haploid phase, generating gametes through mitosis. Recognizing the ploidy of these structures helps in identifying their roles in reproduction and development within the plant life cycle.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Draw a phylogenetic tree that represents our current understanding of evolutionary relationships between a moss, a gymnosperm, a lycophyte, and a fern. Use a charophyte alga as the outgroup. (See Figure 26.5 to review phylogenetic trees.) Label each branch point of the phylogeny with at least one derived character unique to the clade descended from the common ancestor represented by the branch point.

Textbook Question

Suppose an efficient conducting system evolved in a moss that could transport water and other materials as high as a tall tree. Which of the following statements about “trees” of such a species would be true?


a. Spore dispersal distances would probably decrease.

b. Females could produce only one archegonium.

c. Unless its body parts were strengthened, such a “tree” would probably flop over.

d. Individuals would probably compete less effectively for access to light.

Textbook Question

Microphylls are found in which plant group?

a. Lycophytes

b. Liverworts

c. Ferns

d. Hornworts

Textbook Question

In angiosperms, which of the following is correctly paired with its chromosome count?

a. Microspore—n

b. Zygote—n

c. Egg—2n

d. Megaspore—2n