reproduction in plants

Question 1

what is the definition of pollination

Answer 1

transfer of pollen from anther to stigma

Question 2

what is the definition of fertilisation

Answer 2

fusing together of the male and female sex cells to produce a fertilised egg leading to the formation of a seed

Question 3

what is the definition of germination

Answer 3

the seed emerges from a period of dormancy starts to sprout

Question 4

what are some of the main features of an insect pollinated flower

Answer 4

brightly coloured petals, sweet smell, contains nectar, not much pollen, sticky/spiky pollen, firm and inside anthers, stigmas inside flower, stigmas is also sticky

Question 5

what are some of the main features of a wind pollinated flower

Answer 5

small dull petals, no scent, no nectar, huge quantities of pollen, light dry smooth pollen, anthers loose and outside of flower, stigma is also outside of the flower, the stigma is feather-like to catch drifting pollen

Question 6

describe the fertilisation process of flowering plants

Answer 6

the pollen moves down from the anther down to the stigma. a pollen tube grows down the style and then the male nucleus moves down the pollen tube to the ovary the male nucleus fuses with the nucleus in the female egg cell (ovum) this then forms the seed

Question 7

name and explain 4 methods of seed dispersal

Answer 7

wind - e.g. dandelion and sycamore seeds, they fly/drift away from parent plant
animals - fruits eaten by animals, the seeds are inside, eaten, pass through and excreted
explosion - lupin is a seed contained in a pod that twists, pops and shoots seeds away
water - coconuts have air trapped in their fibres which help them float

Question 8

why is it important that seeds are dispersed away from the parent plant

Answer 8

so that the growing plants are not in competition for light, space, water and nutrients