Question

Describe the two-stage lifecycle of plants: the gametophyte stage and the sporophyte stage.

Short answer

The gametophyte stage and the sporophyte stage are two separate stages in the life cycle of plants. The gametophyte stage begins when reproductive cells go through meiosis and create spores, which are haploid cells. Spores divide through cell division to produce plant features that are unique to the new plant. These structures or plants have haploid cells. Cell division occurs in some of these cells, resulting in the formation of sex cells. In the sporophyte stage, fertilisation, or the combining of haploid sex cells, commences. The number of chromosomes in cells generated at this stage is diploid. In some of these cells, meiosis produces spores, and the cycle repeats: this is known as alternation of generations.

Step-by-step solution

Introduction

The term "alternation of generations" refers to the lifecycle of plants that involves two types of plant bodies: gametophyte and sporophyte.

A haploid multicellular gametophyte alternates with a diploid multicellular sporophyte in a multicellular sporophyte.

Explanation

Meiosis, a process that reduces the number of chromosomes to half, transforms a mature diploid sporophyte into haploid spores.

These haploid spores grow into haploid gametophytes when they germinate. To make haploid gametes, the gametophyte goes through mitosis.

The diploid zygote is formed when haploid male and female gametes merge together. A diploid sporophyte grows from this zygote.