Name:Yousef muhebhossein ID:ALS24115 Date: 23/2/2025

Subject: Biology Term 2 Examination Revision Resource- Year 8

Topic overview

8Bb. Reproduction in plants. 8Bc. Pollination.

8bd. Fertilisation and seed dispersal.

Asexual reproduction.

 Only one parent is required so there is no fusion of gametes and no mixing of genetic information.
 As a result, the offspring are genetically identical to the parent and to each other (clones).
 Asexual reproduction is defined as a process resulting in genetically identical offspring from one
parent.
Examples: Runner – strawberry plant, bulbs – onion, tubers – potato.

Sexual reproduction in plants.

Flower is the reproductive organ of the plant.

In flowering plants, male and female reproductive structures can be found in the same individual plant.

Male gametes are found in pollen grains and produced in the anthers of the flower.

Female gametes are found in ovules and produced in the ovary of the flower.
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Label the given parts of the flower.

Stigma, style, ovary, ovule, anther, filament, petal.

1. Which part of the plant produces pollen?

a) stigma.
b) ovary.
c) anther.
d) petal.
2. What is the main function of the petals in a flower?
a) to absorb water.
b) to protect the ovary.
c) to attract pollinators.
d) to produce pollen.
3. Which of the following is an example of asexual reproduction in plants?
a) pollination.
b) growing new plants from cuttings.
c) fertilisation.
d) seed dispersal.

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 4. What is the correct order of sexual reproduction in flowering plants?

a) Fertilisation → Pollination → Seed Dispersal → Germination.

b) Pollination → Fertilisation → Seed Dispersal → Germination.
c) Germination → Pollination → Fertilisation → Seed Dispersal.
d) Seed Dispersal → Germination → Fertilisation → Pollination.

5. Give two advantages of asexual reproduction in plants.

1. ...................................................................................................................................................................

2. ...................................................................................................................................................................

Variation.

Variation is defined as differences between individuals of the same species.

o It can be genetic - controlled entirely by genes.

o Variation in a characteristic that is a result of genetic information from the parents is called inherited
variation.

Pollination.

Pollination is the process of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female

stigma.

There are two types of pollination:

Self-pollination:

Cross-pollination:
When pollen from the anther
of a flower is transferred to the
stigma of the same flower or
another flower on the same plant.

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Cross-pollination
when pollen from the anther of a flower
is transferred to the stigma of a flower on
a different plant of the same species.

This process increases genetic variation

and often leads to healthier, more
resilient plants.

Wind and insect pollination

As plants cannot move like animals they must adopt a different method of transferring these pollen grains.
 Wind-pollinated plants let their pollen blow in the wind and hope that their pollen grains reach another
plant for pollination.
 Insect-pollinated plants use insects and other animals to carry their pollen grains to other plants.
Most plants depend on animals to transfer the pollen for them. 'Insect-pollinated' includes plants which are
pollinated by birds and other small animals.

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Insect-pollinated flowers are different in structure from wind-pollinated flowers.

Practice Questions:
1. What is pollination?
A. the fusion of male and female gametes.
B. the transfer of pollen from an anther to a stigma.
C. the process of making food in plants.
D. the dispersal of seeds.

2. In self-pollination, pollen is transferred:

A. from the anther of one plant to the stigma of another.
B. by insects only.
C. within the same flower or between flowers of the same plant.
D. only by the wind.
3. Which of the following is not a characteristic of insect-pollinated flowers?
A. brightly coloured petals.
B. large amounts of pollen.
C. sticky pollen.
D. nectar production.
4. What adaptation helps wind-pollinated flowers transfer pollen effectively?
A. large, colourful petals.
B. heavy, sticky pollen.
C. small, light pollen grains.
D. a strong scent to attract pollinators.
5. Which statement best describes cross-pollination?
A. it reduces genetic variation in plants.
B. it occurs only in plants that have no petals.
C. it increases genetic variation and can produce stronger offspring.
D. it can only happen in wind-pollinated plants.

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6. Explain the difference between self-pollination and cross-pollination.

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7. Describe two adaptations of insect-pollinated flowers that help attract pollinators.

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Fertilisation.

Fertilisation takes place inside the ovary when the nucleus of pollen grain fuses with the nucleus of an
ovule to produce a zygote.

Shown below are the steps involved in pollination and fertilisation of a flowering plant.

Step one: After pollen has landed on the stigma, it grows a pollen tube down through the style to the
ovary.
Step two: The nucleus of the pollen grain travels down the pollen tube and fertilises the nucleus in the
ovule.
Step three: The fertilised ovule develops into a seed. The seed contains the plant embryo, which
contains genetic material from both parents. The ovary develops into fruit.

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Seed.
A seed is a structure that contains a young plant (embryo) and the food it needs to grow. Seeds come in
different shapes and sizes, but they all have the same basic parts:

Main Parts of a Seed:

1. Seed Coat – A tough outer layer that protects the seed from damage, drying out, and disease.

2. Embryo – The tiny young plant inside the seed. It has:

o Radicle – The part that grows into the root.
o Plumule – The part that grows into the shoot.

3. Cotyledon(s) – These store food for the embryo until it can make its own through photosynthesis.

Seed dispersal.

Plants disperse their seeds in lots of different ways. Some seeds are transported by the wind and are shaped
to float, glide or spin through the air.

Plants growing near a river may use the flowing water to transport their seeds.

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Some seed pods are designed to explode and throw the seeds a good distance from the parent plant.

Many plants also use animals to carry their seeds. This type of seed may have handy hooks which attach to an
animal’s fur. Alternatively, the plants might make tasty fruit to enclose the seeds, which attract animals to eat
them.

Various methods of seed dispersal, description and examples.

Practice question:

1. Which statement about fertilisation in plants is correct?

A. the pollen tube carries the egg cell to the anther.
B. the ovary releases pollen grains for fertilisation.
C. the male nucleus fuses with the female egg cell in the ovule.
D. the stigma absorbs the pollen grains to make seeds.
2. Which type of seed dispersal is most likely for a seed with hooks on its surface?
A. wind dispersal.
B. water dispersal.
C. animal dispersal.
D. explosion.

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3. Why do some plants have light, feathery seeds?
A. to help them stick to animal fur.
B. to allow them to float on water.
C. to be carried by the wind.
D. to be eaten by birds.
4. Describe the role of the pollen tube in fertilisation.

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5. Name two methods of seed dispersal and explain how they work.

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6. Explain why seed dispersal is important for plant survival.

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Resources: Flower to Fruit Pollination Simulation | ExploreLearning Gizmos

Flower Pollination Simulation | ExploreLearning Gizmos

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