Question

When moving on to land, land plants made changes to their life cycle by

a. using alternation of generations
b. Relying on the gametophyte part of their life cycle
c. relying on the sporophyte part of their life cycle
d. no longer producing spores
e. no longer producing gametes

Answer 1

Land plants have adapted to terrestrial living by emphasizing the sporophyte stage in their alternation of generations, producing structures for spore formation, and evolving new adaptations for survival on land.

Step-by-step explanation:

The transition of plants from aquatic to terrestrial environments necessitated several evolutionary adaptations in their life cycle, with alternation of generations being a key feature. This process entails two distinct phases: the multicellular haploid gametophyte, which produces gametes (reproductive cells), and the multicellular diploid sporophyte, which produces spores. Over time, land plants have increasingly relied on the sporophyte part of their life cycle, evidenced by the development of structures such as sporangia for spore formation and apical meristems, contributing to their success on land.