Question 1

Which taxonomic group of angiosperms contributes most to the global food supply for human societies?

Accepted Answer

Monocots, particularly grasses such as wheat, rice, and corn, are the primary source of calories for the global human population, making them the most significant contributors to the global food supply.

Question 2

Which statements are likely to have been TRUE of the earliest angiosperms?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which statements are likely to have been...

Question 3

Angiosperms have a much higher water transport capacity than that found in tracheid-only plants because:

Accepted Answer

Angiosperms have specialized cells called vessel elements, which are wider and more efficient at water transport than tracheids. The specialization of cells into vessel elements and fibers allows for separate functions of transport and support.

Question 4

The earliest diverging angiosperm still extant today, Amborella trichopoda, lacks which of these characteristic features of angiosperms?

Accepted Answer

Amborella trichopoda lacks vessels, which are a characteristic feature of most angiosperms. Vessels are specialized structures in the xylem that facilitate water transport. Amborella's xylem, however, only contains tracheids, making it unique among flowering plants.

Question 5

For which of the following plant groups is the physically and photosynthetically dominant generation poorly represented in the fossil record?

Accepted Answer

The answer of For which of the following plant groups...

Question 6

The evolution of angiosperms increased the productivity of terrestrial ecosystems.

Accepted Answer

Angiosperms, or flowering plants, have co-evolved with pollinators and have a more efficient form of reproduction than gymnosperms, which has increased their dominance in the plant world. They also have more advanced root systems and photosynthetic structures, which have contributed to their ability to outcompete other plants and increase productivity in ecosystems.

Question 7

The gymnosperm gnetophytes are known to have diversified alongside early angiosperms in Cretaceous tropical forests. The presence of what general features may account for the fact that tropical forests are dominated (in terms of both ecological importance and diversity) by eudicots and monocots and not gnetophytes today?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The gymnosperm gnetophytes are known to have...

Question 8

Our agricultural practices lead to an expansion of the genetic diversity of crop plants.

Accepted Answer

Most agricultural practices focus on monocultures and high-yielding varieties, which often leads to a reduction in genetic diversity as less productive or less commercially viable varieties are phased out.

Question 9

Monocots demonstrate which of the following characteristics?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Monocots demonstrate which of the following characteristics?
...

Question 10

Nearly all of the foods we eat come from which group of plants?

Accepted Answer

Angiosperms, or flowering plants, are the largest and most diverse group of plants on Earth and provide us with the vast majority of the foods we eat, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts. Conifers, ferns, cycads, and bryophytes are all important groups of plants, but they do not provide as much of our food as angiosperms.

Question 11

A botanist discovers a new seed-forming plant. She notices that this plant lacks a vascular cambium and appears to continuously form new roots along its stem. What would be the MOST likely placement of this plant?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A botanist discovers a new seed-forming plant....

Question 12

Of all the different types of angiosperms, monocots are best represented in the fossil record. This has long surprised scientists, given that monocots (and their ancestors) lack the woody stems that are typically seen in fossilized plants.

Accepted Answer

Monocots are not best represented in the fossil record compared to other types of angiosperms, largely because their typically herbaceous nature does not preserve as well as the woody tissues found in many dicots.

Question 13

Palm trees and cycads have converged on a similar growth form, yet they actually grow and develop quite differently. What are some of these similarities and differences?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Palm trees and cycads have converged on...

Question 14

Grassland expansion is associated with which of the following variables?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Grassland expansion is associated with which of...

Question 15

If angiosperms contained tracheids instead of xylem vessels, but kept overall transport rates the same, which of the following statements would be true?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If angiosperms contained tracheids instead of xylem...

Question 16

Angiosperms that have only one embryonic seed leaf are called:

Accepted Answer

Angiosperms that have only one embryonic seed leaf are called monocots.

Question 17

Nikolai Vavilov's principle was that the places where the wild relatives of crop plants are most diverse are also likely to be:

Accepted Answer

B) Vavilov's principle suggests that the centers of origin of crops, where their wild relatives show the most diversity, are likely to be the places where those crops were first domesticated. D) These areas are valuable for breeding programs because they contain a wide range of genetic variation, which can be used to improve cultivated varieties, especially in terms of disease resistance, climate adaptability, and other desirable traits.

Question 18

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding angiosperms?

Accepted Answer

Angiosperms generally have higher maximum rates of photosynthesis, higher water transport capacities, and higher rates of CO2 uptake compared to other plant groups in the same environment, due to their advanced vascular systems and efficient leaf structures.

Question 19

The conservation of genetic diversity in both crops and their wild relatives is important because:

Accepted Answer

The conservation of genetic diversity in both crops and their wild relatives is important because genetically uniform agricultural populations may be highly susceptible to diseases and pests (B), genetically uniform agricultural populations act as strong selecting agents for the evolution of novel diseases and pests (C), and domestication and selection for yield tends to reduce the genetic variation within crops over time (D). Maintaining genetic diversity in both crops and their wild relatives is important to ensure long-term food security and sustainability. Option A is incorrect as modern crop cultivars can reproduce themselves through sexual reproduction.

Question 20

The early branching angiosperms have _____ diversity than later branching groups.

Accepted Answer

The early branching angiosperms have less diversity than later branching groups, as evolutionary processes have led to a greater diversification in groups that branched off later.

Quiz 33: Plant Diversity