Science Study Guide for Plant and Animal Test
PLANTS belong to the Domain Eukarya and the Kingdom Plantae. Plants are eukaryotic, multicellular and autotrophic.
Plant cells have cell walls for strength and structure. Plants also have a cuticle which is a waxy covering to help the plant
keep from drying out.
There are 4 types of plants:
Nonvascular: do not have vascular tissue (no pipes!) they can only absorb water through the processes of
osmosis and diffusion, grow low to the ground. ex: mosses and liverworts.
Vascular, seedless: have vascular tissue xylem and phloem (pipes!). These plants move water and nutrients
through the plant using their vascular tissue and/or the processes of osmosis and diffusion. Grow taller than
moss and do not have seeds but use spores to reproduce. ex: ferns, horsetails and club mosses
Gymnosperms: like pine trees, have vascular tissue xylem and phloem (pipes) to transport food and water
through the plant. Gymnosperms can also use the processes of osmosis and diffusion to move food and
water. They have seeds but no flowers. They reproduce using cones and seeds. Pollen is carried from male
cone to female cone by the wind. ex: pine trees, conifers, evergreens
Angiosperms: have vascular tissue xylem and phloem (pipes), seeds and flowers. They use their vascular
tissue (xylem and phloem) as well as osmosis and diffusion to transport water and nutrients throughout the
plant. Ex: daffodils, apple trees, tulips, grass.
Plant Structures
The individual parts of the plant are adaptations that help plants to live on land.
Petals: attract pollinators
Cuticle: protects the plant from drying out
Roots: absorb water and minerals from ground, anchor plant in the ground, and stores excess food.
There are two types of roots: taproots and fibrous roots.
Taproot
Fibrous root
Stems: help the plant to stand upright, transports water and food up the plant and supports the plant. There are two
types of stems: woody and herbaceous.
Woody Stem: rigid, covered in bark
Herbaceous stem: thin and flexible
Reproductive parts of the plant
Stamen: male part of the plant that holds the pollen
Pistil: female part of the plant that is fertilized by the pollen
Bees carry pollen from the stamen to the pistil where the pollen travels down to the ovules
and fertilize them and turn into seeds. The ovary then turns into a fruit.
ANIMALS belong to the domain Eukarya and the Kingdom Animalia. Animals are eukaryotic, multicellular and
heterotrophic. Animals without a backbone are invertebrates. Animals with a backbone are vertebrates. Animals are
consumers. Animals mainly use sexual reproduction to have offspring.
The 6 animal phlum:
Phlum
Physical characteristics
Most distinguishing
Examples
characteristics
Cnidarians
no skeleton, no backbone
stinging cells
jellyfish, hydra
radial symmetry
Mollusks
no skeleton, no backbone
foot, mantle, visceral mass, snails, clams, octopus, slugs
soft body, bilateral
shell
symmetry
Annelids
no skeleton, no backbone
segmented body
earthworms, bristle worms
bilateral symmetry
leeches
Echinoderms
endoskeleton, no backbone spiny skin
sea stars, sea urchins, sand
radial symmetry,
dollars, sea cucumbers
Arthropods
exoskeleton, no backbone,
jointed limbs, segmented
Insects, spiders, crabs,
well-developed nervous
body, exoskeleton,
centipedes, crustaceans
system, bilateral symmetry
compound eyes
Chordates
have backbone,
backbone
fish, mammals, reptiles,
endoskeleton, very complex hollow nerve cord
birds, humans
nervous system, bilateral
symmetry
Animals can communicate with each other in different ways.
Animals can use their vocal cords: make noises, talk
Animals can use pheromones: own scent is used to either attract mates or keep predators away
Animals can use touch as a way of communicating
Animals can use body language as a way of communicating
Animals exhibit either innate or learned behaviors.
Innate behaviors are behaviors that are coded in the DNA. Yawning, babies crying, breathing are all examples of innate
behaviors.
Learned behaviors are learned by observation or experiences like language, (speaking) playing a sport, or reading.
Animals can exhibit seasonal behaviors.
Hibernation is when animals go into a long period of inactivity during the winter. Bears hibernate
Estivation is when animals hibernate in the summer. Desert squirrels estivate.
Survival behaviors
Animals use poisons/ toxins and stingers to ward off predators
Animals can use warning coloration to ward off predators. The organism may or may not be poisonous but the coloring
of the organism makes predators think it is poisonous.
Animals can camouflage themselves to escape predators.
Animals use different ways to get food to survive.
Organisms are made up of small cells which are part of bigger tissues, which are part of larger organs, the organs
together make up organ systems and all together they are considerd an organism.
Cells
Tissues
Organs
Organ systems
Organisms