What is a Plant Diversity?

Biology Plant Diversity Question?

• What are the three majors trends in plant evolution as plants colonized terrestrial environments? thanks!

• Answer:

  Living on land means that organisms have to face two major factors that are not as important in water: (1) gravity and (2) the threat of desiccation. Thus, the major trends in plant evolution were related to increased mechanical support, more efficient water distribution (and preventing water loss), and reproductive modes. The same could be said of terrestrial animals. But you asked about three major trends. These were listed as such in the source below: 1. development of roots, shoots, a vascular system. Leaves with waxy cuticle. 2. predominance of the diploid phase of the life cycle: in vascular plants, the plant we recognize is the diploid sporophyte (the gametophyte is very small, represented by the gametes) 3. Seed and pollen protection and dispersal. See the source below for more information (it's a powerpoint presentation).