Life Science Introduction

Introduction Plants are the most successful large organisms on our plant Their flexible structure makes it possible for them to survive in a variety of environments, and their ability to photosynthesize provides enough food to power them and nearly all the animals. The independence between plants and animals has shaped life on Earth.

What is a plant? Plants are multicellular Plants have cell walls made out of cellulose Plants develop from multicellular embryos Plants carry out photosynthesis using chlorophyll Plants are Autotrophs Able to produce their own food

“Plants are stationary animals that eat sunlight!”

Examples of plants …. Trees Shrubs Mosses Grasses Ferns …

4 groups of Plants

What do plants need to survive? Surviving as a stationary organism on land is a difficult task, but plants have developed many adaptations that make them successful: Plants have needs: Sunlight Water & Minerals Movement of Water and Nutrients Gas Exchange

Sunlight Plants use the energy from the sunlight to carry out photosynthesis Every plant has adaptations to gather as much sunlight as possible: Leaves are used to capture sunlight Shade plants BIG leaves Sun plants small leaves

Water & Minerals Plants need to supply all their cells with water constantly Water & minerals are absorbed from the soil Minerals are needed for plant growth

Movement of Water & Nutrients Plants take up water and minerals through their roots Xylem (transport pipe) transports water & minerals Plants make food in their leaves Phloem (transport pipe) transports food

Gas Exchange Plants need Oxygen to breath (cellular respiration) Make energy (ATP) Plants needs Carbon dioxide to carry out photosynthesis

Vascular Tissue: Xylem & Phloem Seed plants such as Gymnosperm (Evergreens) and Angiosperm (Flowering Plants) have a bloodstream or vascular tissue. The vascular tissue: network of hallow cells Purpose: Transport water, nutrients and food throughout the plant

Vascular Tissue: Xylem & Phloem Plants have two types of vascular tissue: Xylem Water & Nutrient transport from roots to leaves (UP) Hallow long dead cell forming tubes Water impermeable Water moves freely throughout the tubes

Vascular Tissue: Xylem & Phloem Plants have two types of vascular tissue: Phloem Food transportation from leaves to roots (DOWN) Pipeline with grit through which sugars are carried in a watery

“Xy high, Phlo low!”

Tapping Maple Trees What is maple syrup ? Where does it come from? Why do we tap trees in the spring?