During the evolutionary diversification of land plants, major structural and physiological modifications occurred to overcome terrestrial environmental stresses. Which of the following evolutionary trends allowed seed plants to become fully independent of external liquid water for sexual reproduction?
- The development of pollen tubes to transport non-motile male gametes directly to the ovuleCevap
- BThe production of flagellated sperm cells that swim through xylem vessels to reach the female gamete
- CThe persistence of a dominant, independent gametophyte generation equipped with true vascular tissues
- DThe formation of naked seeds enclosed entirely within mature ovary walls prior to pollination
Cevap
The development of pollen tubes to transport non-motile male gametes directly to the ovule
The major evolutionary adaptation that freed seed-bearing plants from requiring external water for fertilization was siphonogamy. Microspores develop into pollen grains that transfer by wind or vectors and germinate a pollen tube to carry non-motile male nuclei directly to the egg in the ovule.
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Anahtar Kavram
Evolutionary trend in plant reproduction: Siphonogamy and water independence