Question

Why are angiosperms so diverse (when compared with non-flowering lineages of plants)? To answer this, think about how expensive flowers are to produce for the plant (they cost lots of ATP to make); what benefit do they provide the plant?

Answer 1

Angiosperms are so diverse because:

1. Flowers were able to attract insects for pollination. The pollen is transported to distant places from the actual plant thus spreading their habitat and increasing their diversification through cross pollination

2. Even though making flowers, bearing fruits is expensive, it is a good trade off for the flowering plants as they were able to be transported by insects (pollen), animals (seeds, fruits), humans (fruits, flowers) allowing them to have great expansion of habitat and cross pollination.

3. Flowering plants can undergo double fertilization which makes them survive in various conditions making their diversification possible

4. Angiosperms have less number of cells compared to gymnosperms and they possess well structured vessels for transportation of food and water which helps in their rapid growth and diversification.

5. They bear flowers and fruits which are benfecial to the mankind and other animals making them choosy than their counterparts like non flowering plants. Thus, they are closely connected to civilization and spread along with the mankind to wherever they go.

6. Presence of 2,50,000 species of named angiosperms signify their diversification and successful survival. Improved means of seed dispersal, ability to reproduce without water employed by angiosperms account for their success than their non flowering counterparts.

7. Gymnosperms have naked seeds which may have less survivability in harsh conditions narrowing its diversification while angiosperms having seeds in enclosed tissue allow for sufficient nutrition until the seedling is produced helped flowering plants in diversification eventhough bearing flowers and fruits is expensive.

8. Finally relying on animals for movement of seeds increased the process of coevolution, gene flow in angiosperms making them the most diversified groups.