Mosses

Amanda Lu Period 5

Which three phyla represent nonvascular plants?

Liverworts, Hornworts, Mosses

Comparison of Phyla

Liverwort sporophytes are smaller than those of mosses and Hornwort's Hornwort and moss sporophytes have stomata

Hypotheses of Evolution

Liverworts are the deepest-branching lineage of land plants and stomata evolved once in the ancestor of hornworts, mosses, and vascular plants.
Hornworts or mosses are the deepest-branching lineage, or bryophytes are monophyletic, stomata evolved once and then was lost in the liverwort lineage. Hornworts are the deepest-branching lineage and mosses are the closest relatives of vascular plants, and hornworts acquired stomata independently of mosses and vascular plants.

Which moss generation is dominant?

Gametophyte

Life Cycle

What are the different parts of a sporophyte?

Foot, Seta, Sporangium (Capsule)

Spore Production and Dispersal

Meiosis in the sporangium produces spores The peristome on a

sporangium is a ring of interlocking, tooth-like structures which open in

dry conditions and close

in moist conditions

Gametophyte and sporophyte of a nonvascular plant

Seta is elongated to enhance spore dispersal

What limits the height of many bryophytes?

Bryophyte Structure

Body parts are too thin to support a tall plant

Lacks vascular tissue which would allow longdistance transportation of water and nutrients
Thin structure allows materials to be distributed Some mosses have conducting tissues in their stems

Where are mosses found?

Habitat

Mosses are common in moist forests and wetlands Some mosses live in bare, sandy soil They can inhabit extreme environments

Richard Bowden's measurements of nitrogen loss for soils with or without moss

Sphagnum (peat moss) forms deposits of peat used as fuel. Peat moss is used as soil conditioner and for packing plant roots.