Moss and Fern Life Cycles

1. Moss and Fern Life Cycles

2. Group 1: Seedless, Nonvascular Plants Live in moist environments to reproduce Grow low to ground to retain moisture (nonvascular) Lack true leaves Common pioneer species during succession Gametophyte most common (dominant) Ex: Mosses, liverworts, hornworts

3. Moss Life Cycle

4. 1)Moss gametophytes grow near the ground (haploid stage) 2) Through water, sperm from the male gametophyte will swim to the female gametophyte to create a diploid zygote 3) Diploid sporophyte will grow from zygote 4) Sporophyte will create and release haploid spores Diploid sporophyte . . . . . egg zygote zygote egg egg zygote egg zygote male male Haploid gametophytes female female female male female male

5. 5) Haploid spores land and grow into new gametophytes 6) The process repeats . . . . . ground Haploid gametophytes

6. . . . . . sporophyte egg zygote egg zygote egg zygote egg zygote male male Haploid gametophytes female female female male female male

7. Group 2: Seedless, Vascular Plants Vascular system allows Taller growth Nutrient transportation Live in moist environments swimming sperm Gametophyte stage Male gametophyte: makes sperm Female gametophyte: makes eggs Sperm swims to fertilize eggs Sporophyte stage Spores released into air Spores land and grow into gametophyte Ex: Ferns, Club mosses, Horsetails

8. Fern Life Cycle

9. 1) Sporophyte creates and releases haploid spores Adult Sporophyte . . . . ground

10. 2) Haploid spores land in the soil . . . . ground

11. 3) From the haploid spores, gametophyte grows in the soil Let’s zoom in Fern gametophytes are called a prothallus ground

12. 4) Sperm swim through water from the male parts (antheridium) to the female parts (archegonia)…zygote created Let’s zoom back out egg zygote egg zygote egg zygote

13. 5) Diploid sporophyte grows from the zygote sporophyte Fern gametophytes are called a prothallus ground

14. 6) Fiddle head uncurls….fronds open up 7) Cycle repeats -- Haploid spores created and released . . . fiddlehead frond . ground

15. 2) Haploid spores land in the soil . . . . ground

16. 3) From the haploid spores, gametophyte (called the prothallus) grows in the soil Let’s zoom in ground

17. 4) Sperm swim through water from the male antheridium to the female archegonia Let’s zoom back out egg zygote egg zygote egg zygote

18. 5) Diploid sporophyte grows from the zygote fiddlehead sporophyte ground

19. 6) Fiddlehead uncurls….fronds open up. 7) Cycle repeats . . . . ground

20. Kobe Kuiz • Why do moss grow so low to the ground? • Which stage is the main stage of moss: sporophyte or gametophyte? • How do moss reproduce? • What is the major difference between moss and ferns? • What are the leaves of ferns called? • What is needed for moss and ferns to reproduce? • Which stage is the main stage of ferns: sporophyte or gametophyte? • What stage is created when sperm and egg fuse: sporophyte or gametophyte? • Name the gametophytes of ferns.