PLANTS & FUNGI
Plant and Fungi Diversity
Before beginning this lab activity, be sure that you have read through the lab handout.
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Now, using the images and diagrams below, you will sketch and label the structures as indicated. You can print and draw on the lab handout itself OR you may do so on a blank sheet of paper. If you have a tablet that you take notes/draw on then you may also draw digitally. You will complete 10 total drawings.
It is okay if you aren't an artist- after all this is biology lab! Just take your time and try to draw the 1) overall shape of the image as best you can and 2) draw and label any distinctive features and structures- particularly those structures you are asked to label. You do not have to color your drawings- but you can if you want.
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Use the voicethread and/or the lab handout to identify the function of each structure. List these next to your drawing. When you are done, take a photo of your handout and upload to this week's discussion board along with the answers to the discussion questions. Contact your lab instructor with any questions.
Leaf Cross Section
Label: Cuticle, Stomata
Draw the image above. This leaf cross section clearly shows the cuticle and stomata on both the top and bottom sides of the leaf, as indicated by the labels.
You do not need to draw the image below. It provides a close-up look at a stoma. The guard cells control whether the stoma is open or closed to allow for gas exchange.
Referring to the lab handout, what is the function of the cuticle? What is the function of stoma? Be sure to include this on your sketch page.
Leaf Cross Section with vascular tissue
Label: Vascular Bundle (xylem & phloem bundle)
Referring to the lab handout, what does xylem transport? What does phloem transport? Be sure to identify the function of xylem and phloem on your sketch sheet, and label the vascular bundle in your drawing. You do NOT have to label the xylem vs phloem.
Bryophyte Sporophyte
Label: Gametophyte, Sporophyte, and Spore Capsule
Bryophytes include the mosses and their relatives the liverworts and horntails. All bryophytes are short in stature- this is because they lack vascular tissue and must rely on cell-to-cell diffusion to transport water and nutrients. Thus, they have really limited growth potential.
The gametophyte is the 'dominant' generation in bryophytes, meaning that is it the more visible and larger compared to the sporophyte. Sketch the image above and label the gamotophyte, the sporophyte, and the spore capsules.
The sporophyte produces spore capsules, which contain spores.
Spore Capsule (Bryophyte)
Label: Spores
Inside the spore capsule, spores develop and are housed. When environmental conditions are right, the spore capsule will burst open and release the spores into the environment. Bryophytes often release their spores in water. The spores that survive will give rise to the next generation of bryophytes.
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Draw a spore capsule and label the spores.
Fern Sporophyte
Label: Sori
Sori
The leafy fern sporophyte is the dominant generation- meaning the sporophyte is larger and more visible compared to the gametophyte. The fern sporophyte will develop sori on the underside of the leaves. This is shown in the top image. Draw the top image only. Label the sori.
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The bottom image shows a close-up view of the sori. Each sorus is home to many spores.
Fern Sorus
Label: spores
Each sorus contains many individual spores. When environmental conditions are right, the sori will break open and release spores into the environment. The spores that survive will give rise to the next generation of ferns.
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The image on the left shows 1 sorus that is in the process of breaking open. You can see the many spores that are inside.
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Draw the image below, which shows a close-up image of the spores.
Male pine cone (Gymnosperm)
Label: pollen
Draw the image above. It shows the anatomy of a male pine cone. You can see the center of the cone as well as the scales along either side. The pollen is housed in sacs within the scales. Label the pollen in your drawing.
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The image on the right is a close-up view of the pine pollen. When environmental conditions are right, the male pine cone will release the pollen into the wind. The wind will carry the pollen to a female pine cone, where it will fertilize the megaspore and form a pine embryo (see below).
Cones are the sex organs of gymnosperms. There are male and female cones. The image on the left shows a male pine cone of a pine tree. The male cones make pollen, which houses the sperm cells.
Female pine cone (Gymnosperm)
Label: Megaspore
Cones are the sex organs of gymnosperms. There are male and female cones. The image on the left shows a female pine cone of a pine tree. The female cones make megaspores, which houses the egg cell.
Draw the image above. It shows the anatomy of a female pine cone. You can see the center of the cone as well as the scales along either side. Female cones have an ovule at the base of each scale that houses a megaspore. Once fertilized, the megaspore develops into an embryo. The cone is released and eventually grows into a juvenile pine tree.
Flowers and fruits are only found in angiosperms.
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Similar to cones in gymnosperms, flowers are the sex organs of angiosperms. There are both female and male portions to flowers.
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Referring to the lettered diagram below:
The male portion is called the stamen. The stamen is collectively made up of the filament (B) and the anther (A).
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The female portion is known as the carpel. The carpel is collectively made up of the stigma (C), the style (D), and the ovary (E).
Flower (Angiosperm)
Label: anther and filament; stigma, style, and ovary
Draw the image to the left (whole flower). Label each reproductive portion including the anther, filament, stigma, style, and ovary.
Fungus Anatomy: Cap Mushroom
Label: cap, stem, and mycelium
The part of the fungus you see (aka the 'mushroom' or fruiting body) is only a small portion of the whole fungus. The underground portion of the fungus, called the mycelium, can grow quite large. When conditions are right to reproduce, the mycelium will develop fruiting bodies or 'mushrooms' that appear above ground. In your typical cap mushroom (shown in these images), the spores that give rise to the next generation are housed in the gills of the cap until they are released into the environment.
Draw the image on the left- labeling the cap, stem, and mycelium (below ground).
Cap
Mycelium not visible (below ground)