1. Plants

2. Plants are a fascinating group of eukaryotes that have special features that are uniquely adapted to life in water and on land These fascinating creatures are often forgotten or ignored Remember, they make up the largest part of our trophic pyramid

3. Plants For this chapter we are going to focus on the plants that are on land This will focus our ideas to a large section of plants that we interact with everyday Land plants make up a large majority of complex plant species

4. Plant Adaptations Plants are non-mobile organisms that draw resources from the land and the air Plants anchor themselves in the ground with a group of absorbent cells called roots These cells are designed to take in water and various nutrients while keeping plants in position and upright

5. Plant Adaptations Water can easily be lost in any part of the plant that is exposed to sunlight, is warm or is not kept moist Most areas of plants that are exposed to the air are covered by a waxy cuticle This is a lipid layer designed to prevent moisture loss

6. Plant Adaptations Most O 2 and CO 2 is absorbed and released through small openings call stomata These cells are located on the bottoms of most leaves and open to the air They are normally located on the cool and dark side of the leaf to limit water loss

7. Plant Growth Most plants grow very specifically Their roots do not grow from all sections at once The roots generally only grow from the tip of the plant at a point called the apical meristem This allows the root to grow in directions that lead the roots to resources

8. Plant Growth Some plant cells are also elongated by darkness Many times plant cells in the stems of plants will elongate when they are in a shadow This allows the plants to grow towards sunlight

9. Plant Transport A plant has to connect its soil systems with its air systems to function correctly Most plants have specialized tissue that accomplishes this The specialized tissue is called vascular tissue

10. Plant Transport There are two types of vascular tissue Xylem are dead cells that form microscopic tubes that send nutrients and water from the roots – “Roots to Shoots” Phloem consist of (mostly) living cells that distributes sugars through the plant – “Leaves give these”

11. Plant Reproduction Reproduction on land is challenging for a plant It must mate to exchange its information without moving Their embryos must be kept protected from drying out The plant has to get its next generation away from its valuable resources

12. Plant Reproduction Flowering plants produce pollen grains These pollen grains contain a male gamete These male gametes are dispersed through the air or by animals Pollen must travel to a new part of a plant to fertilize

13. Plant Reproduction Once the pollen reaches the female part of a plant, a zygote is formed The developing embryo remains attached to the plant and is fed by the parent

14. Plant Reproduction Eventually the embryo is detached from the plant If the embryo starts to germinate too close to the parent plant, it would have to compete for resources This means somehow the embryo needs to be carried away from the plant

15. Flowers Flowers are a bit deceiving Most people think that flowers are a beautiful and sweet smelling thing that a plant produces for every other organism can enjoy Flowers have a purpose that is set aside for the plant

16. Flowers Flowers have a bright and sweet smelling appearance to attract organisms to the flower It is a devious ploy to help organisms notice them and be attracted to them Imagine trying to find these flowers in a forest

17. Flowers If a flower is more fragrant and colorful it will be easier for another organism to find This will increase the chances of reproduction This is a basic and rudimentary example of fitness

18. Parts of a Flower Flowers do not exist as one part They have many different parts that all function and a have a separate and defined function

19. Parts of a Flower The outer part of the flower is commonly surrounded by a protective barriers called sepals These generally surround and protect the flower while it develops

20. Parts of a Flower The outermost layers of the flower consist of several specialized leaves called petals These petals are designed to make sure that pollinators are attracted to the flower They also make sure that pollinators come in contact with pollen

21. Parts of a Flower If you removed the petals you would see a several long rods These long rods contain pollen are the male part of the flower The anther is a small sack that contains pollen The filament holds up the anther The stamen is the term used to describe the anther and filament

22. Parts of a Flower Aside from having male parts, flowers also have female parts that accept pollen The stigma is the opening that accepts pollen to the female parts of the plant The style is the tube that connects the stigma to the rest of the flower

23. Parts of a Flower The ovary of the plant is located below the stigma and the style These ovary will have several small eggs inside of it Number of eggs will vary based on the plant and flower The total of the female reproductive parts is called a carpel