BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
Unit 7 ~ Learning Guide
Name: _______________
INSTRUCTIONS
Complete the following notes and questions as you work through the related lessons.
You are required to have this package completed BEFORE you write your unit test. Do
your best and ask questions about anything that you don't understand BEFORE you
write the unit test.
7.1 NOTES: VACULAR PLANTS WITH SEEDS
General Characteristics of Seed Plants
There are two main groups of seed plants, __________________________________
_________________________________. The _________ in both ________________
____________________________________________________________________
___________________. The advantage to having a seed is that the _____________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________ in comparison to those of the angiosperms. They
are __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________.
The following structures are found in seed plants and are very important
in their adaptation to living on land:
1. ____________________
2. ____________________
3. ____________________
4. ____________________
5. ____________________
These structures and their functions will be the topics of the sections to follow.
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
Seeds
The seeds ___________________________________________________________
_______________________________. The ___________________ within these seeds
is ____________________________________________________________. The
seeds are diploid and ___________________________________________________
_________________________________.
In Douglas-fir, the seed is filled with 60% lipids, 16% proteins, and 2% sugars,
making it a high-energy and nutritious tissue.
Roots
Roots
have
three
primary
functions. First, ____________
___________________________
________________. They are the
principle water-absorbing organs
of
a
plant.
___________
___________________________
___________________________
________________________ of the
root and have greater contact with soil
particles. Secondly, ______________
______________________________
______________________________.
This prevents it from blowing away or
falling over. Finally, ______________
______________________________
______________. This ___________
______________________________
______________________________.
Some roots may become specialized
below-ground
storage
organs
(example: carrot!). This storage of
energy is an important strategy for
surviving stress and dormancy. To the
right is an image of the cross- section of a root. _______________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________.
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
Roots grow by increasing in length through cell division. The root tip elongates and
matures. The structures in the root cross-section include:
1. Epidermis (outer cells).
2. Cortex (loosely packed parenchyma cells).
3. Endodermis (inner cells).
The endodermis contains a layer of a waterproof substance that stops further
movement of water into cells. For water to get into the root it must pass through a
selectively permeable membrane. The innermost tissues are vascular tissues that
transport water, minerals and food. The outermost layer is the pericyle. Lateral
roots are formed by the division of pericyle cells.
Stems
___________________________________________________________________
__________________________. They hold up leaves and flowers to the light.
Stems also _________________________________________________________
________________________________________________.
For example, the
cactus stores water and the sugar cane stores large amounts of sugar in their
stems.
The diagrams below illustrate how sugars made in the leaves move into the
phloem and how water from the roots is moved up into the stem by xylem.
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
Leaves
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_____________________________________.
Most leaves are thin and flat. Others are more
needle like in appearance.
Leaf Structure
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________. Spongy mesophyll
allows oxygen, carbon dioxide and water to
diffuse in/out of the leaf. Notice the location of
the stomata and guard cells in this diagram.
Stomata
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
two kidney- shaped ______________________
______________________________________
__________________________. Stomata are
_______________________________________
__________________________________. This
opening and closing is regulated by the amount
of water in the guard cells. When guard cells are
‘full’ of water they swell, making them spread
apart to create an opening. The _____________
_____________ necessary for photosynthesis
can enter the leaf through the stomata and the _____________________ produced by
photosynthesis can pass out of the leaf through the same opening. _______________
_______________ is also lost in the process of transpiration, for example cottonwood
trees lose 100 gallons of water on a hot day.
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
7.1 PRACTICE: VACULAR PLANTS WITH SEEDS
1. What is the primary function of a seed? (1 mark)
2. What are the proposed selective advantages of a seed over a spore? (2 marks)
3. Compare and contrast the seeds of gymnosperms and angiosperms. (3 marks)
4. What are the three key functions of roots? (3 marks)
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
5. What are the two key functions of stems? (2 marks)
6. What is the primary function of leaves? (1 mark)
7. Briefly describe the structure and function of stomata. (5 marks)
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
7.2 NOTES: GYMNOSPERMS
Diversity of Gymnosperms
Gymnosperms includes four divisions of plants:
1. ____________________________
2. ____________________________
3. ____________________________
4. ____________________________
The Pinophyta or conifers are the most widely studied. They are the largest group
and are the base of the _____________________________________________.
All conifers have no protecting ovary wall around the seed. In fact, ___________
______________________________________________________________.
______________________ adaptations that allow them to live on land include;
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Alternation of generations.
__________________________________________________________
Seeds contain fully formed plant embryo.
Gymnosperms can store food.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
6. ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
7. Contain Vascular tissue that allows plants to grow to great heights giving
an advantage in the fight for sunlight.
Here's an image of the vascular
tissue within the trunk of a tree
that moves water and nutrients. It
is like a circulatory system for a
tree.
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
Gymnosperm Divisions

Cycads - Division Cycadophyta
The
cycads
are
____________________________
___________________________ than they are as a living
species with most of the fossils dating to the time of the
dinosaurs in the Mesozoic era. Most cycads resemble palms
and
are
very
slow
growing.
In
cycads,
_______________________________
______________________________ are formed.

Ginkgo - Division Ginkgophyta
Ginkgo biloba is ___________________________________
____________________. There are male and female trees
which could easily be mistaken for angiosperms. The trees
have small flat leaves and produce seeds that look like fruit.
However, like gymnosperms pollination is by wind and ciliated
sperm swim from the pollen tube to the egg in the
archegonium. They are ___________________________________________
______________________________________ but only the males are planted
typically because the females have a pungent smell when they produce seed.

Gnetophytes - Division Gnetophyta
There are three groups within Gnetophyta and
all three are fairly strange shrubs. They are the
most closely related to angiosperms of all of the
living gymnosperms and they even undergo
double fertilization which is a defining
characteristic of angiosperms.

Conifers - Division Pinophyta
Conifers received this name due to their ________________________________.
Well known conifers include the cone bearing _______________________
_______________________________________. Their __________________
_________________________________________________ and don't bear
much resemblance to leaves macroscopically which is why ______________
__________________________________ and most conifers retain their needles
in winter and continue to photosynthesize with a reduction in activity.
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
Below is an image of pine needles. The needles are in bundles of two so it could be a
lodgepole or jack pine.
Life Cycle of Gymnosperms
_________________________, as in other seed plants, ________________________
__________________________________________________. However, it is ______
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________.
The seed of a gymnosperm _______________________________________________
_______________________________ to keep it from drying out so that the embryo can
survive long periods before growing. ___________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
When the seed lands on the ground it will grow into the dominant sporophyte tree. Once
mature, this tree will bear male or female cones. On trees that have both male and
female cones, the male cones are located on lower branches near the tips to avoid selffertilization. This allows the pollen (n) of the male cones to float to another tree on a
windy day giving cross-fertilization. When a pollen grain lands on an ovule of a female
cone (n), ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________. There are two
sperm produced by each pollen grain. One sperm eventually fertilizes the egg and the
other degenerates. Once the egg is fertilized forming a zygote (2n), it will grow into a
seed ready to become a new sporophyte tree.
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
Diagram of the Gymnosperm Life Cycle.
Economic Importance
In first world countries the primary woods used
for construction are gymnosperms. The
gymnosperms
are
known
in
the
______________________________________
____________________. The softwood lumber
industry ________________________________
__________________________________ with
most of the wood going to the USA. _________
________________________________ are all
examples of conifers used around the world for
______________________________________
______________________________________
_________________. This is the primary economic importance of gymnosperms as
most do not produce edible fruits or roots and the stem tissue is too woody for
consumption. However, there are a few examples of gymnosperms that are consumed.
______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________, due to its colour and hardiness, but its
blossoms are also used for the production of gin. Many other gymnosperms are used in
landscaping gardens but it is usually to provide a backdrop or contrast to the beauty of
an angiosperm. Pine beetle infestations have been of particular concern to the logging
industry in the past decade.
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
7.2 PRACTICE: GYMNOSPERMS
1. What does the term gymnosperm refer to? (1 mark)
2. Identify three adaptations that enable gymnosperms to live on land. Explain in
your own words how these adaptation likely proved to be a selective
advantage. (6 marks)
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
3. What is the dominant stage of the gymnosperm life cycle, and is this stage
haploid or diploid? (2 marks)
4. Male pollen and the female ovule, both found in cones, are haploid. Why is this
necessary/important? (2 marks)
~ END OF BIOLOGY 11 UNIT 7 LEARNING GUIDE ~
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
UNIT 7 ANSWER KEY
7.1 PRACTICE: VACULAR PLANTS WITH SEEDS
1. What is the primary function of a seed? (1 mark)
-
the seed contains the embryo and allows for the plant to be dispersed either
through falling and wind dispersal or more frequently by attaching to or being
eaten by and dispersed by an animal
2. What are the proposed selective advantages of a seed over a spore? (2 marks)
-
a seed has stored food that allows embryo to better survive in nutrient
lacking conditions
a seed provides physical protection
a seed can attract animals and thus, encourage dispersion of the plant
3. Compare and contrast the seeds of gymnosperms and angiosperms. (3 marks)
-
both provide embryo with nutrients and enhance dispersion however…
gymnosperm = naked/uncovered seeds such as found on surface of scales that
make up cones
angiosperm = covered seeds (fruit) found in flowering plants
4. What are the three key functions of roots? (3 marks)
-
uptake of water and minerals from soil (helps increase surface area)
anchor plant in soil
can store food (such as carrots)
5. What are the two key functions of stems? (2 marks)
-
improve height/exposure to sun
transport water, minerals and nutrients throughout plant
6. What is the primary function of leaves? (1 mark)
-
collect sunlight and perform gas exchange (CO 2 uptake and O2 release)
necessary for photosynthesis
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
7. Briefly describe the structure and function of stomata. (5 marks)
-
Pores/opening typically in epidermis of leaves that exchange gas (CO 2 uptake
and O2 release)
Stomata are surrounded by 2 kidney-shaped guard cells that can open and
close to maximize gas exchange yet minimize water loss as needed
7.2 PRACTICE: GYMNOSPERMS
1. What does the term gymnosperm refer to? (1 mark)
-
naked seed
2. Identify three adaptations that enable gymnosperms to live on land. Explain in your own words
how these adaptation likely proved to be a selective advantage. (6 marks)
-
-
-
-
Alternation of generation…the sporophyte diploid stage and gametophyte
haploid stage can generally withstand different environmental conditions, the
ability to survive more environmental conditions generally means greater
overall survival
seeds resist drying out…allows seed to withstand periods of drought thus
increasing chance of survival in a greater range of environments
seeds contain fully formed plant embryo…can rapidly grow upon landing in an
appropriate nutrient rich area…the more quickly a plant establishes the
greater chance for success
seeds can store food…can survive longer periods of time if conditions are not
ideal for growth
airborne pollen…can disperse in dry windy conditions…does not require water
and thus, can have greater dispersal = better chance of encountering a better
environment for growth and less competition
waxy cuticle…prevents drying out (desiccation) = better chance of survival in
drier conditions
contain vascular tissue = can grow in drier climates, can grow larger to access
more light, better dispersion, more resistant to grazing
3. What is the dominant stage of the gymnosperm life cycle, and is this stage haploid or diploid?
(2 marks)
-
Sporophyte (2n) = diploid
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BCLN BIOLOGY 11 – Rev July 2014
4. Male pollen and the female ovule, both found in cones, are haploid.
necessary/important? (2 marks)
-
Why is this
two haploid gametes (sperm and egg) come together to form a diploid gamete
egg (n) + sperm (n)  gamete (2n)
if the gametes were not formed by meiosis where the chromosome numbers
are halved from two copies to a single copy, each fertilization event would
double the number of chromosomes in the organism (2n  4n  8n 
16n…)…unfortunately, more is not better and the organism would not survive
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