Plants also grow close to the ground and to each other, a strategy that helps to resist the effects of cold weather and reduce damage caused by wind-blown snow and ice particles. Small plants and shallow root systems compensate for the thin layer of soil, and small leaves minimize the amount of water lost through the leaf surface. Similar adaptations help plants, algae, fungi, and lichens survive in both the Arctic and Antarctic.įirst, the size of plants and their structures make survival possible. They lack the structures that characterize vascular and nonvascular plants and are classified in the kingdom Protista. Algae include microscopic, single-celled, and multicellular photosynthetic organisms such as seaweeds and green, red, and brown algae. They also reproduce asexually through budding, bulb formation, and other types of vegetative reproduction.Įven though most algae and fungi are no longer classified within the plant kingdom, they are often still included in discussions of plant life. Plants may reproduce sexually by flowering and producing seeds, or through spore production. Through this process, plants capture the sun’s energy and use it to fuel chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and energy-containing carbohydrates (sucrose, glucose, or starch). Photos courtesy of Scott Kinmartin and Andrew Fogg via Flickr.Ī defining characteristic of plants is their ability to produce energy through photosynthesis. However, the plant kingdom also includes mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, simpler plants that lack these water-transporting structures. When we think of the word “plants” we typically picture trees, bushes, grasses, and ferns – so-called “vascular plants” because of their full systems of leaves, stems, and roots.
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