Final answer:
Pteridophytes have vascular tissues, lignin-reinforced conducting cells, leaves, and root systems, unlike bryophytes. These adaptations allow them to grow larger and live in a wider variety of environments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pteridophytes have developed vascular tissues that bryophytes lack. This advancement allows for the transport of water and nutrients, enabling pteridophytes to grow larger and inhabit a wider range of environmental conditions than bryophytes.
Bryophytes, such as mosses and liverworts, are non-vascular and thus are generally constrained to moist environments where they can absorb water and nutrients directly through their surfaces. They are also limited in size due to the absence of a vascular system. In contrast, pteridophytes have specialized conducting cells like xylem and phloem that allow them to transport water, minerals, and organic compounds throughout their structure. This vascular system includes tracheids, which are cells reinforced with lignin that provide structural support and facilitate water transport, facilitating a larger growth form and the ability to live in less moist environments.
Pteridophytes are also unique in having well-defined leaves and root systems, which are absent in bryophytes. These adaptations enable pteridophytes to effectively photosynthesize and anchor themselves into the soil, extracting water and nutrients with greater efficiency. The development of these features marks a significant step in plant evolution, allowing for greater survival and reproductive success in a variety of terrestrial habitats.