In: Biology
Contrast the role of spores in the land plant life cycle with the role of gametes; identify the structures associated with the dispersal of spores in bryophytes.
SPORES | GAMETS |
spores is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction | Gamets are the agents of sexual reproduction. |
Adapted for dispersal to survive. | gamets produced and develops along with parent |
spores produced in mature saprophyte | gamets are produced in a mature gametophyte |
saprophyte phase is diploid and begins with fertilized egg | gametophyte phase is haploid and begins with spore |
gamets produced by meiosis | gamets produced by mitosis |
The production of spores or vegetative propagules is a critical step on the way to producing new plants. But those spores and propagules need to be dispersed. Many bryophyte spores are very small and easily wind-dispersed, potentially over fairly long distances. Water is another dispersal agent and one group of mosses even attracts insects to carry away the spores.
Vegetative propagules are generally too big to be wind-dispersed, except for rather short distances. Water, insects and larger animals have been found as carriers of vegetative propagules.
By and large, vegetative propagules are means of short-range dispersal and spores are means of long-range dispersal