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Unit 1 Spores and Seeds
Spores are much simpler in their make-up than seeds, and are a common
reproductive unit of bacteria and fungi in addition to plants. One of the key differences
between seeds and spores is that spores do not have the same support mechanisms,
such as stored food resources or defensive coverings. So, spores from plants are less
able to survive in unfavorable conditions for long periods of time before growing into a
full plant. As a rule, spores are released in large numbers as a way of giving more of
them a better chance of growing to maturity.
Despite their many shortcomings, spores do have some advantages over seeds. Spores
are extremely light compared to seeds, and can thus be dispersed more easily and over
greater distances by even light breezes. The most common type of spore plant is the fern,
which releases spores from the underside of its leaves. Some species of fern may be said
to bridge the evolutionary gap between spore-producing plants and seed-producing
plants. The presence of ferns dates back over 300 million years, and over the course
of their long evolution, some have evolved into seed-bearing plants, perhaps some of the
first.
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Spores are much simpler in their make-up than seeds, and are a common
reproductive unit of bacteria and fungi in addition to plants. One of the key differences
between seeds and spores is that spores do not have the same support mechanisms,
such as stored food resources or defensive coverings. So, spores from plants are less
able to survive in unfavorable conditions for long periods of time before growing into a
full plant. As a rule, spores are released in large numbers as a way of giving more of
them a better chance of growing to maturity.
Despite their many shortcomings, spores do have some advantages over seeds. Spores
are extremely light compared to seeds, and can thus be dispersed more easily and over
greater distances by even light breezes. The most common type of spore plant is the fern,
which releases spores from the underside of its leaves. Some species of fern may be said
to bridge the evolutionary gap between spore-producing plants and seed-producing
plants. The presence of ferns dates back over 300 million years, and over the course
of their long evolution, some have evolved into seed-bearing plants, perhaps some of the
first.
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