Plants and Animals

I. Plants

* Most plants are produced from a seed. - there are many sizes, colors, and shapes.

A. Germination- when a seed

splits open and small roots form.

1. seeds need the right conditions:

a. water b. warmth

B. Plants needs:

1. Water

2. Sunlight

3. Oxygen

4. Nutrients

C. Vascular verses Nonvascular

D. How Plants Respond to Their Environment1. Tropism: to turn

2. Phototropism: how plants respond to sunlight.

3. Gravitropism: plants response to gravity.

- positive gravitropism= roots

- negative gravitropism= shoot

E. Plants Rhythm

- plants ability to change with the seasons.

1. Long-Day Plants- when there is more

than a certain number of daylight hours. - nights are short, it is the amount of darkness that determines when plants bloom.

-examples: spinach,

potatoes,

lettuce

2. Short Day Plant: when there is less than a certain number of daylight hours.

- they need long periods of darkness before they can bloom.

- examples are:

Poinsettias

strawberries

and ragweed

F. Types of Plants

1. Moss: very short, nonvascular plant. *Other nonvascular plants are:

hornworts* got their

name because they are shaped like an animal’s horn.

liverworts* got their

name because they are shaped like a liver.

a. how they reproduce:

1. plantlike generation: regular reproduction.

-two cells come together to make a new plant.

* Liverworts

2. stalk-like generation: asexual reproduction.

- reproduce by a spore.

* Hornworts

2. Ferns* very common

vascular plant a. ferns have true roots, stems, and leaves each contain vascular tissue.b. reproduce without a seed, reproduce by a spore.

* a spore is like a seed, but it holds only half the beginning of a complete new plant inside it.

* a fern’s spores will fall off, then germinate and produce a new plant.

* ferns also like shady, moist locations.

3. Gymnosperms (Seed)

- are vascular plants that produce seeds but do not produce flowers and fruits.

- these seeds rest is hard berries or on wooden structures called cones.

- seeds contain plant embryos, the beginning of a new plant.

- The seeds provides:

a. protection

b. a source of food

- seeds can also travel a long distance.

A. Four main types of gymnosperms

1. Conifers: contain needle-like leaves that stay on the tree all year long.

2. Ginkgoes: unusual leaves, are fan-shaped, usually found in the city.

*can survive pollution, disease, and insects.

3. Cycads: found in warm areas, look like palm trees, but they are not!

4. Welwitschia: grows in the deserts of South Africa, only has two leaves.

5. Angiosperms (Seeds)

Angiosperms

• a- Vascular plant that produces flowers.– Exs. Veggies,– Fruits,– Flowers,– And Grass

• 2.means seed in a vessel.

3. Adaptations

• Annuals:– Soft stems, die in the fall.– Usually complete their life

cycle in a single year. Biennials:

- Live for two years Perennials: -Some have wooden and

stems.-During Winter above ground

dies, but below the ground they are very much alive.

-Grow back in the Spring.

4. Plant Parts

• A. Stamen: male structure found in the center of flower, stem like structure, and there are many.

• B. Pistil: Female structure found in the center of the flower, there is one.

5. Flowers and Pollination

• -for pollination to occur, pollen must reach the pistil of the flower.

• A. Flowers that are pollinated by insects often have bright colored petals and strong scents.

• B. Flowers that are pollinated by birds and bats are red.

• C. Flowers not pollinated by animals depend on wind and are usually small and unscented.– Exs. Birches– Oaks – Corn– And grass

6. Plant Adaptations *adaptations is any part or characteristic that helps species survive or reproduce.

a. Pine Trees

-grow needle-like leaves with waxy coating, this helps the tree keep water in.

-allowing pines to survive in cool, dry places.

b. Trees drop their leaves every Autumn.

- if a tree kept its leaves, water would freeze in the leaves causing bacteria or fungi to infect the tree.

- by dropping the leaves and becoming inactive-or dormant- a tree can survive the cold winter.

c. cactus plants-adapt to hot, dry

climates. -their thick stems

hold water and have a waxy coating that helps protect them from drying out.

-their spines are the plants leaves, which are adapted for desert climate.

II. Animals

-includes an amazing variety of creatures.

*there are animals that you can see only with a microscope.

*others are as tall as a house.

*humans belong to the animal kingdom.

A. Animal Characteristics

1. Biologists study many characteristics to classify animals:

a. Animals are multicellular with specialized cells that form tissue and organs.

b. Animals require oxygen to breath.

c. Animals get their food from outside their bodies.

d. Most animals are able to move at some point in their lives.

e. Most animals reproduce regularly.

2. Once an organism has been identified as an animal, it can be further classified into phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.

3. Invertebrates

-without backbones

-very diverse and include the largest number of animal species

-have body symmetry

*matching pattern of body shape.

*examples include:

- radial symmetry: cnidarians (jellyfish and coral)

Echinoderms: (starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers)

-spiny skin

-Sponges

*true body symmetry

- Arthropods- (Lobsters, crabs,

spiders, and insects)

Arthropods cont.

*the animal group with the most species.

*hard covering=exoskeleton

*bilateral symmetry= mirror image

- Mollusks

* clams, oysters, mollusks, snails, squids, and octopus

- Worms -(flat worms, round worms)

4. Vertebrates

* have a backbone

* can be cold blooded or warm blooded

A. Cold Blooded-ex. Reptiles, amphibians, and most fish.

- their body temperature depends on the temperature outside.

* Fish

-represent a great number of species among vertebrates.

-most fish have a boney skeleton, but some such as sharks have a cartilage skeleton.

* even though there is a great variety of fish they all share important characteristics, such as:

-gills: to allow them to breath.

-a very well developed sensory system.

* very good sense of smell

2. Amphibians

- exs.frogs and toads- need to live close to the water, but do not need to spend their entire lives in water. -some have lungs that allow them to breath outside of water.- some do not have lungs at all but the smooth surface of their skin exchange gases with air.

- Amphibians need water to reproduce.

* most eggs dry out on land, so they must lay their eggs in water or moist places.

-Many begin their early lives in water.

*tadpole>frog

- Salamanders and newts are amphibians with tails. *like frogs, have smooth, moist skin.* most live in moist areas, where they can easily get to water.

* some live close to the desert.

3. Reptiles

- Exs. Snakes, turtles, tortoises, lizards, crocodiles, and alligators. - Have tough outer skin.

*provides them with a water proof coating, which helps them conserve water.

- Many live near water and spend time in it, but they reproduce on land.

* eggs have tough outer covering that prevents them from drying out.

B. Warm-blooded

-Exs. Birds and mammals-They maintain constant internal body temp. -Their body cells produce enough heat to keep their bodies warm even when the temps. outside their bodies are very low.

* Birds

-Different bird species have adapted to live almost anywhere in the world.

* from the Tropics to the Arctic Circle.-Only group of animals that have feathers.

*feathers on the their wings help them fly. *also have beaks instead of teeth.

-Some birds of prey are:

*Eagles

*Falcons

*Owls

- all have hooked beaks.

- Birds like woodpeckers have long, thin beaks that allow them to dig into tree bark for insects.

2. Mammals

*most complex organs and nervous system in the animal kingdom. *mammals brain is relatively large.

-helps them learn how to perform their complex behaviors. * important characteristics:

1. hair -it may cover the

entire body or only certain parts.

2. all mammals feed their young with milk

3. give birth to young

4. most mammals have teeth

5. Move to find food and to get away from their predators.