Final answer:
The Moss life cycle and the fern life cycle both exhibit alternation of generations, with both haploid gametophytes and diploid sporophytes as stages. Moss gametophytes dominate and support the sporophyte, while in ferns, the sporophyte is the prominent stage and the gametophyte is free-living. Both require water for reproduction, contributing significantly to ecosystems and human usage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Moss life cycle and the fern life cycle share a common feature known as the alternation of generations. Both mosses and ferns have two distinct stages in their life cycles: the haploid gametophyte stage and the diploid sporophyte stage. In mosses, the gametophyte is the dominant phase, and it gives rise to the sporophyte, which is dependent on the gametophyte and visible as structures growing out of it. In contrast, in ferns, the sporophyte stage is dominant, and the gametophyte is a free-living, smaller structure.
Mosses are recognizable by their small, green gametophytes with leaf-like structures lacking true vascular tissue. The sporophyte grows out of the gametophyte and is capable of producing spores through the sporangia, releasing them to begin a new generation. Ferns, with their large leaves and ability to grow very tall, produce a free-living gametophyte that is distinct in structure from the sporophyte. The need for water for the reproduction process is another similarity, as both require water for flagellated sperm to reach and fertilize the female gamete.