![]() These early seed producing plants are the Gymnosperms and include the conifers, cycads, and Ginkgo. One group of plants evolved seeds, which are able to survive for long periods of time until proper growing conditions occur. When the gametes (sex cells) combined, they would form a developing embryo that would have to have suitable growing conditions to develop and survive. ![]() ![]() The earliest plants, such as algae, mosses, and ferns, relied mainly on water and wind to carry sperm cells from one plant to another. The “shuffling” of genes between the two parent plants, increases diversity among their offspring which increases the likelihood that some will survive even if conditions change. Sexual reproduction is the process by which an organism combines its genes with another related organism to form offspring that share traits of both parents. To ensure survival of their offspring in a world with constantly changing environments, most plants also reproduce sexually to instil diversity into their progeny. If environmental conditions change, these clones may not be adapted to survive the new conditions. For instance, many aquatic plants can grow shoots that break-off and are carried by currents to new locations where they establish and grow, but this form of reproduction only produces clones that are identical to the mother plant. Without plants, most other organisms, including us, would not be able to survive.Īs with all living things, plants must reproduce. These energy rich molecules are the fuel for Life, and plants supply the majority of these compounds for the rest of the living organisms on Earth. ![]() Through photosynthesis, they capture energy from the sun and convert it into organic molecules such as sugars. Plants are the most prolific and important primary producers on Earth. ![]()
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