Alternation of Generations

Summary

In this video from the Penguin Prof channel, the speaker explores plant reproduction, specifically the alternation of generations. Using relatable examples, such as human life cycles, the video breaks down complex concepts like haploid and diploid stages in plants. The video highlights the differences between plants like mosses, ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms, emphasizing how plants solve the challenges of reproduction and dispersal without moving. Viewers learn about the unique roles of gametophytes and sporophytes, and how plants have evolved to 'hide' their gametophytes for survival. It's an informative and accessible dive into plant biology.

Takeaways

• 🌱 Plants have a unique reproductive system called alternation of generations, which includes both diploid sporophyte and haploid gametophyte stages.
• 🍃 Humans and plants differ in meiosis products; in animals, meiosis produces gametes (eggs and sperm), while in plants, it produces spores.
• 🌍 The diploid stage in humans is predominant, with a brief haploid phase in the form of gametes, whereas plants alternate between these phases.
• 🌾 Mosses are primarily gametophyte-dominant, and the sporophyte, which grows on the gametophyte, is smaller and less noticeable.
• 🌿 Ferns have a more complex system with a dominant sporophyte phase and a smaller, microscopic gametophyte phase.
• 🌲 Gymnosperms, like pine trees, also have a sporophyte-dominant life cycle, with the gametophyte stage hidden within cones.
• 🌸 Angiosperms, or flowering plants, have the most advanced reproductive system, where gametes are hidden in flowers, and pollination often involves animals.
• 🐝 Angiosperms attract pollinators through bright flowers and nectar, leading to fertilization and seed dispersal through fruit consumption by animals.
• 🧬 Diploid organisms are safer genetically because having two sets of chromosomes provides backup, reducing the risk of lethal genetic errors.
• 🎯 The complexity of plant life cycles has evolved, with plants spending more time in the diploid sporophyte phase as they become more genetically complex.

Q & A

What is the 'alternation of generations' in plants?

The alternation of generations is a life cycle in plants where they alternate between a haploid gametophyte stage and a diploid sporophyte stage. This cycle involves plants producing gametes (sex cells) in one generation and spores in the next.

How do plants handle the challenge of reproducing without moving?

Plants have developed strategies like relying on wind or animal pollinators to disperse gametes and seeds. These adaptations allow plants to reproduce and spread their offspring without the need for movement.

What is the difference between haploid and diploid in the context of plant reproduction?

Haploid cells (denoted as N) contain one set of chromosomes and are involved in sexual reproduction (like gametes), while diploid cells (denoted as 2N) have two sets of chromosomes and are typical of somatic (body) cells and sporophytes.

How does meiosis differ between animals and plants?

In animals, meiosis produces gametes (eggs and sperm). In plants, meiosis produces haploid spores, which grow into a gametophyte that eventually produces gametes through mitosis.

What is a gametophyte, and how does it differ from a sporophyte?

A gametophyte is the haploid phase in a plant's life cycle that produces gametes (eggs and sperm). A sporophyte is the diploid phase that produces spores through meiosis.

How does fertilization restore the diploid state in plants?

Fertilization occurs when the haploid egg and sperm unite, forming a diploid zygote. This zygote undergoes mitosis to grow into a new diploid sporophyte.

Why is the gametophyte phase dominant in mosses but not in ferns or flowering plants?

In mosses, the gametophyte is the dominant phase because mosses are non-vascular and depend on a moist environment, making their life cycle simpler. In more advanced plants like ferns and flowering plants, the sporophyte is dominant, reflecting a more complex vascular system and evolutionary adaptations.

What is the significance of sori on fern leaves?

Sori are clusters of sporangia found on the underside of fern leaves, where meiosis occurs to produce haploid spores. These spores eventually grow into the gametophyte generation.

How do gymnosperms like pine trees reproduce?

Gymnosperms, such as pine trees, reproduce using male and female cones. Male cones release pollen, which is carried by wind to female cones for fertilization. The fertilized seeds are then dispersed to grow into new sporophyte trees.

How do flowering plants (angiosperms) ensure pollination and seed dispersal?

Flowering plants attract pollinators (e.g., birds, insects) using colorful, nectar-filled flowers. After fertilization, the ovary of the flower develops into a fruit, which aids in seed dispersal by enticing animals to eat the fruit and spread the seeds through digestion and defecation.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Introduction to Plant Sex and Alternation of Generations

In this introduction, the speaker welcomes viewers to the topic of plant reproduction and the alternation of generations in plants, humorously referring to it as 'hide the gametophytes.' The complexities of plant sex are explained, including how plants, unlike animals, must overcome their immobility to achieve fertilization and disperse offspring. The conversation introduces the concept of chromosome ploidy, starting with familiar human biology to build an understanding of haploid and diploid states, which are central to the discussion of plant reproduction.

05:01

🌾 Human Life Cycle vs. Plant Life Cycle

This section compares the human and plant life cycles. It explains human reproduction, starting with diploid adults who undergo meiosis to produce haploid gametes (eggs and sperm). Fertilization restores the diploid state, and mitosis then leads to the development of an adult. The speaker highlights a key difference between animals and plants: in plants, the product of meiosis is not gametes but spores. These spores grow into gametophytes, adding an extra step in the plant life cycle. The distinction between plant sporophytes (diploid) and gametophytes (haploid) is introduced.

10:02

🌿 Mosses: Bryophytes and Gametophyte Dominance

Here, the focus shifts to mosses, a group of bryophytes. Mosses are unique because their dominant life stage is the gametophyte (haploid). The speaker describes how male and female mosses produce gametes, which combine in fertilization to form a small diploid sporophyte. This sporophyte grows on top of the gametophyte but is often overlooked. The lifecycle is reiterated: sporophytes produce spores, spores become gametophytes, which in turn produce gametes. Mosses are dependent on water for reproduction due to their non-vascular nature.

15:03

🌿 Ferns: Vascular Plants and Sporophyte Dominance

Ferns are introduced as more evolved, vascular plants, allowing them to grow larger. Unlike mosses, the dominant life stage of ferns is the sporophyte (diploid). The speaker describes how ferns produce haploid spores through meiosis in structures called sporangia located on the underside of leaves. These spores develop into small, heart-shaped gametophytes that require water for fertilization. After fertilization, the diploid sporophyte grows out of the gametophyte, which then dies. The fern’s lifecycle highlights the transition from gametophyte to sporophyte dominance in plant evolution.

🌲 Gymnosperms: The Evolution of Conifer Reproduction

The next plant group discussed is gymnosperms, which include cone-bearing plants like pine trees. The speaker explains that gymnosperms also have a dominant sporophyte phase (the tree itself). Inside the cones, meiosis produces haploid spores, which eventually lead to fertilization within the cone. The speaker emphasizes how male cones release pollen for wind dispersal, and after fertilization, seeds form and develop into new sporophytes. This discussion highlights how gametophytes are hidden and reduced in gymnosperms compared to earlier plant forms.

🌸 Angiosperms: Flowering Plants and the Cost of Pollination

In this section, the speaker covers angiosperms, the flowering plants. The sporophyte phase is dominant, and flowers are the plant’s reproductive organs. Meiosis within the flower produces pollen (male gametes) and eggs (female gametes). Pollination can be wind-driven, but most angiosperms rely on animals, which plants ‘pay’ with nectar to carry their pollen. After pollination, the diploid zygote forms, and the ovary becomes a fruit, aiding in seed dispersal by attracting animals. The cost and evolutionary benefit of using animals for reproduction and dispersal are discussed.

🍒 The Importance of Seed Dispersal in Angiosperms

This concluding paragraph focuses on the high cost of dispersing seeds for angiosperms. Plants invest resources in making fruits appealing to animals, ensuring that seeds are carried far from the parent plant. The seeds, often excreted by animals, are deposited in a rich environment, increasing the likelihood of successful growth. The discussion highlights how the increasing complexity of plants has led to a shift towards spending more time in the diploid phase (sporophyte) for genetic protection. The evolution from simpler to more complex plants demonstrates this shift in life cycle dominance.

Keywords

💡Alternation of Generations

This is the main theme of the video, describing the life cycle of plants where they alternate between two phases: a haploid gametophyte phase and a diploid sporophyte phase. The concept is central to understanding plant reproduction, as the gametophyte produces gametes (sex cells), while the sporophyte produces spores. In the video, this alternation is described as a 'game' that plants play, emphasizing the complexity of their reproductive strategy.

💡Sporophyte

A sporophyte is the diploid phase in the plant life cycle, producing spores through meiosis. In the video, the sporophyte is described as the phase you typically see in more evolved plants like ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. It is responsible for producing haploid spores, which eventually develop into gametophytes. For example, in ferns, the large leafy plant we recognize is the sporophyte.

💡Gametophyte

The gametophyte is the haploid phase in the plant life cycle that produces gametes (eggs and sperm) through mitosis. The video highlights how the gametophyte is the dominant phase in simpler plants like mosses. In mosses, the green fuzzy part is the gametophyte, while in more advanced plants like ferns and flowering plants, the gametophyte is much smaller and less noticeable.

💡Meiosis

Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that reduces the chromosome number by half, resulting in haploid cells. In the context of plants, meiosis produces spores in sporophytes. This is different from animals, where meiosis produces gametes (eggs and sperm). In the video, this distinction is crucial to understanding how plant reproduction differs from animal reproduction.

💡Mitosis

Mitosis is the process of cell division that results in two genetically identical diploid cells. It is used for growth and tissue repair in organisms. In plants, mitosis occurs in both gametophytes and sporophytes. For example, after fertilization, the zygote undergoes mitosis to develop into a diploid sporophyte, as explained in the video's comparison between plant and animal life cycles.

💡Haploid

Haploid refers to cells that contain only one set of chromosomes (N). In plants, gametophytes and gametes (eggs and sperm) are haploid. The video stresses the importance of the haploid phase in plants, especially in mosses where the gametophyte is the dominant stage. This is contrasted with animals, where haploid cells are limited to gametes.

💡Diploid

Diploid cells contain two sets of chromosomes (2N), which is the typical state for most plant sporophytes and animal somatic cells. In the video, diploidy is important because it provides genetic backup, allowing for more stability and complexity. The sporophyte stage of ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms is diploid, producing haploid spores through meiosis.

💡Bryophytes

Bryophytes are a group of non-vascular plants that include mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. In the video, mosses are used as an example of a simpler plant group where the gametophyte is the dominant stage. Bryophytes need moist environments because they lack vascular tissues and their gametes require water for fertilization.

💡Gymnosperms

Gymnosperms are seed-producing plants that include conifers like pine trees. These plants are characterized by exposed seeds and use cones for reproduction. The video explains how gymnosperms are more advanced than ferns and mosses, with their sporophytes being the dominant stage. Fertilization happens via wind dispersal of pollen, which is hidden inside cones.

💡Angiosperms

Angiosperms are the flowering plants, considered the most advanced in plant evolution. They produce seeds within fruits, and their reproductive structures (gametes) are hidden inside flowers. In the video, angiosperms are presented as the pinnacle of plant complexity, with their ability to attract pollinators and disperse seeds through fruit, showcasing their evolutionary success.

Highlights

Introduction to plant sex and alternation of generations in plants, described as 'hide the gametophytes.'

Explanation of the challenges plants face in reproduction, such as not being able to move to find mates or disperse offspring.

Comparison of human and plant reproduction, starting with human life cycles and the concept of ploidy: haploid (N) and diploid (2N).

Introduction of the terms 'haploid' and 'diploid' and their roles in human reproduction, as well as in plants.

Clear breakdown of the human life cycle, starting from diploid adults, gamete production through meiosis, fertilization, and the restoration of diploid condition.

Introduction of plant reproduction and the alternation of generations, highlighting the extra step plants have compared to animals.

Definition and explanation of the sporophyte and gametophyte stages in plants, starting with the sporophyte producing spores through meiosis.

Description of the life cycle of mosses, emphasizing that the dominant stage is the gametophyte and its need for moist environments.

Explanation of the fern life cycle, where the dominant stage is the sporophyte and how ferns are vascular plants with larger sizes compared to mosses.

Discussion of the gymnosperm life cycle, focusing on conifers, where the sporophyte is the tree and the gametes are hidden inside cones.

Explanation of angiosperms (flowering plants) and how the sporophyte stage dominates, with gametes hidden in flowers.

Highlight of the pollination process in angiosperms, including the cost of attracting pollinators with nectar and the precision of pollen delivery.

Explanation of seed dispersal strategies in angiosperms, where fruits attract animals that help spread seeds far from the parent plant.

Summary of evolutionary trends in plants, where more advanced plants spend more time in the diploid sporophyte stage due to genetic safety.

Conclusion emphasizing the evolutionary advantage of diploid organisms in complex life forms and the importance of diploid backup in avoiding lethal errors.

Transcripts

>> Hi everyone, and welcome to the Penguin Prof channel.

Today I want to talk about a topic

that my general biology students have been asking me

for for quite some time.

We're going to talk about plant sex.

And actually we're going to be talking

about alternation of generations.

A game that plants are playing that I like to call

"hide the gametophytes."

So if you don't think

about plants very often they really do have kind

of a tough go.

Plants need to be able to find each other to have sex.

Plants also need their offspring to be dispersed far away

from the parent so they don't compete with each other.

You don't want to compete with your offspring for resources.

The problem is of course plants don't move.

And so the question is, "How are you going to get your gametes,

your sex cells -- How are you going to get those together?"

How are you going to find members of your own species?

How are you going to, you know, find another individual

to have sex with and, you know, what happens

when you finally do have offspring?

How do you get them far away from you?

These are difficult questions.

This story is really going to be about sex and life cycles

and like everything I think it's good to start

with something you're familiar with and then build information

that may not be so familiar so that your brain kind

of has something to attach it to.

So we're going to start with humans, actually.

These are human chromosomes organized

so you can see all 23 pairs.

And this is called a karyotype, by the way.

And when we talk about sex there's a little bit

of a problem with these chromosomes.

So what if we had this scenario?

We have an egg and we said that humans have 46 chromosomes.

Right? And then what if that egg gets fertilized by a sperm

and that sperm also had 46 chromosomes?

Okay. What you have there is a complete disaster

because then every time you have fertilization you would double

the number of chromosomes that an organism would have

and you just can't have that.

So instead what we have is an egg cell that has half

that number, only 23 chromosomes.

And a sperm that has half that number, only 23 chromosomes.

And then when you have fertilization it's,

oh, so much better.

Now you have the correct number of chromosomes again.

So the vocabulary that we use to talk

about chromosome sets is called ploidy and you're going

to see these terms a lot.

Haploid, the number of sets in sex cells.

So eggs or sperm, they have only one set of chromosomes.

We use the letter N for haploid and then diploid is two sets

and that we're going to find in all somatic cells,

other cells in the body.

The word soma, by the way, just means body.

There are other terms, by the way, especially in plants.

You'll see tetraploidy, polyploidy,

but for now we're just going to stick with haploid and diploid.

That's going to get us through the story that we need.

So the human life cycle

with which you are familiar looks something like this

where we start out with adults which are diploid.

The cells of your body have 46 chromosomes.

In cells of the ovary

or the testes you have a very special type

of cell division called meiosis.

All right?

So meiosis only occurs in gamete producing cells.

And meiosis is what takes the cell from diploid to haploid.

It also creates variety because there's a shuffling of genes,

right, because if you've got to reduce the number of chromosomes

by half then obviously your egg

or sperm only gets half of what you've got.

Right? So now we go

from a diploid state to a haploid state.

So now the egg and the sperm are each haploid cells.

And only at fertilization is the diploid state restored.

Right? So egg plus sperm, 23 plus 23,

now we've got a diploid.

We call it a zygote, a fertilized egg.

And for humans N is 23.

Right? So we have 46.

Just so you know, of course,

different species have different numbers of chromosomes.

So the N value will change, but the haploid diploid,

right, that stays the same.

So now we've got a fertilized egg.

It undergoes mitosis.

That's just replicative division, kind of like a cell,

you know, going through a Xerox machine basically.

And that happens over and over again and you end

up with a diploid adult.

Okay. So if we're going to simplify this --

So we're going to be able to compare animals

with which you're familiar to plants

which may be a little more unfamiliar.

We have this where you have a diploid adult, right,

everything above the line is diploid, 2N, we have meiosis

which is our magic cell division and the product of meiosis

for animals -- The products are gametes.

Eggs and sperm.

This is a big difference that we're going to see from plants.

So keep that little fact in mind.

For animals the egg and the sperm come together.

Fertilization, right?

We just saw this.

Now you restore the diploid condition.

You've got some mitosis and now you're back to an adult.

Okay. So hang on to your adenoids

because this is what the plants do.

Plants are kind of foreign to us

because they have a whole extra step.

We're going to start with the diploid adult

which would be equivalent to an animal.

We're going to call it a sporophyte.

Okay? And that is diploid.

This 2N should now be familiar.

That sporophyte is going to undergo that special type

of cell division called meiosis, but what you make

in a plant is not eggs and sperm.

The product of meiosis in plants is a spore.

The product of plant meiosis is spores.

These spores are haploid and they undergo mitosis

and they grow up in to a haploid body that we call a gametophyte.

Oh, my goodness.

So this would be -- An equivalent in humans would be

if you could imagine your eggs or sperm leaving your body

and without fertilization they grow up in to you.

But it would be a haploid you.

Okay. That is pretty weird,

and animals don't do that, but plants do.

And that's why plants make a lot of people a little bit crazy

as we try to understand them.

This gametophyte will undergo mitosis and produce eggs

and sperm which are called gametes just like animals

which will fertilize just like animals

and restore the diploid condition just like animals.

That diploid zygote, the fertilized egg,

undergoes mitosis and grows in to a sporophyte.

So this is what you've got to remember with plants.

Sporophytes produce spores.

Gametophytes produce gametes.

So if you can remember this, say it to yourself over

and over again, and keep in mind that the product of meiosis

in plants and animals -- The product is different.

In animals meiosis produces gametes, eggs and sperm.

But in plants the product of meiosis is spores.

If you can keep those things in mind as we go

through the various plant groups, you're going to be okay.

We're obviously not going to be able to go

through 480 million years

of plant evolution on a Youtube video.

So -- Though, you know, I would love to try.

We're going to talk about a few main groups of plants

that will illustrate the difference in the alternation

of generations story which is really what this video

of course is about.

We're going to start with the mosses.

Mosses are in a group called bryophytes

and with mosses we have other less familiar plants

like liverworts and hornworts.

They all have pretty sexy names.

When you look at a moss, mosses of course grow in very,

very moist places in the forest and things like that,

they need a lot of water because mosses are non vascular.

They don't have any vascular fluid carrying tissues.

That also keeps the size of mosses very small.

When you look at a moss what you're looking

at is actually the gametophyte stage.

So let's look at the moss life cycle and look at some

of the exciting parts of it and how it relates

to the diploid haploid story.

So this moss, as you see it growing on the log --

This is what you're actually looking at.

You're looking at a haploid gametophyte body.

Now gametophytes produce of course gametes, eggs and sperm.

So there are male and female moss plants.

And here are the male parts and here are the female parts.

These are all haploid.

At fertilization the egg and sperm of course come together

and form a diploid zygote.

So now we're looking at something that's diploid.

The thing is on a moss the diploid stage is really small

and we call it a sporophyte and it actually grows right on top

of the haploid gametophyte.

And most people have never seen it.

Now as always the sporophyte produces spores.

Right? And those spores are haploid

because it's the sporophyte that undergoes meiosis.

So here you go back in to the spore stage.

These are now haploid.

And they will grow up in to the haploid gametophyte which is

where our story began.

It's very unusual to actually see the sporophyte in nature.

Mostly you see the gametophyte.

That's all that fuzzy green stuff.

But this is what the sporophyte looks like.

And you'll only see it during certain times of the year.

So again the dominant phase in a moss is the gametophyte.

Now let's compare the story of mosses

to a more highly evolved plant, the fern.

And when you look at a fern this is the sporophyte stage

of the fern.

By the way, ferns, beautiful plants,

these are vascular plants.

So they can get much, much larger than mosses.

There's about 12,000 different varieties in this group

and they really started

to dominate during the carboniferous period.

That's about 380 million years ago.

The final life cycle we're going to start again

with the dominant phase,

the phase that you would see out in the forest.

And in the case of the fern that is not the gametophyte.

It's the sporophyte.

So what you think of as a fern is actually a sporophyte.

A sporophyte produces?

Spores. If you look on the underside

of the fern leaf you're going to see these clusters of sporangia.

They're in little circular disks that are called sori

and of course these undergo meiosis

to produce haploid spores.

And haploid spores grow in to a gametophyte.

This gametophyte is very, very small.

In fact, it's microscopic.

So unless you go out in the forest

with a microscope you're never going to see it.

This is called a fern thallus.

It's kind of a heart shaped thing.

Isn't that cute?

It's got archegonia which are female parts, and antheridia

which are the male parts.

They only find each other in water

which is why ferns are also very much linked

to moist environments.

Right? There are no desert ferns because of this requirement.

So the gametophyte you've got the male and the female parts.

You've got the sperm.

You've got the egg.

You've got fertilization.

Same old story.

Now we've got a diploid zygote.

And now we have the new sporophyte.

It actually grows on top of the gametophyte.

And as the fern gets larger and we start all

over again the diploid sporophyte is actually growing

right out of the gametophyte

and the gametophyte will whither away and die.

Isn't that just so dramatic?

We've got two more groups to go.

We're going to talk about the gymnosperms.

Now the gymnosperms are the cone bearing plants.

So here is a pine tree

and hopefully everybody is familiar with these.

When you look at cone bearing plants

or conifers these are all sporophytes.

Okay? The gametophyte has gotten smaller still.

The gametes are actually hidden inside the cones.

Oh, my goodness.

I know. These life cycles can get a little bit overwhelming

with all the terminology,

but they're actually just variations on the same stories.

So we're going to start with again the phase

that you see in nature.

This is the mature sporophyte.

Right? This is a tree.

And the tree in the cones we have of course meiosis

and the products of meiosis of course are spores.

And these are haploid.

This actually is going to take place within the cone.

And at fertilization of course there are male

and female cones, by the way.

Female cones are more conspicuous.

Male cones which produce pollen, they basically --

After they release their pollen they just whither away

and you don't really see them.

Of course conifers rely on wind for dispersal.

Right? So it's just a mass of pollen in the air

from these guys when they are breeding.

During fertilization the diploid state is restored, of course.

Now we have our zygote and it develops within a seed.

And that seed will sprout and grow an entirely new sporophyte.

The most advanced of all plants and certainly the most beautiful

by most people's estimation are the angiosperms.

And these are the flowering plants.

This is a cherry blossom tree and in nature what dominates

in angiosperms is the sporophyte.

And the gametes are actually hidden inside the flowers.

So the flower is the sex organ of the flowering plant.

And I've just got to say right now it's really no coincidence

that flowers are a symbol of love and romance.

If you give a woman a corsage,

that's not a subtle message, right?

You're basically saying, "Wear this sex organ and think of me."

Okay. So again the diploid state is what we're going

to start with.

The plant itself is a sporophyte.

Right? So here's a really nice flowering plant.

And within the flower, within the flower,

you have meiosis going on to form the egg

and in this case the pollen, the pollen grains.

And the plant has to pay

for that special touch in a lot of cases.

Now some angiosperms are also wind pollinated,

but a great majority of them make big bright showy flowers

to attract pollinators.

The problem is of course that that's expensive.

Flowers have to pay for service

in the cold hard currency of nectar.

Right? And of course if you're pollinated by birds it's going

to cost you even more.

But for the plants it appears to be worth it.

As the pollen is delivered from flowers far away, it will --

The pollen grain will stick on to the stigma.

It actually fits very precisely.

This is to prevent pollination across different species.

So it's kind of like a lock and a key right here.

And then the pollen grain will grow a tube

and grow all the way down to the egg.

You have fertilization.

Diploid condition is restored.

And now you have the development of the embryo within a seed.

And for even better dispersal the ripened ovary becomes a

fruit and the plant will pay even more

to get its offspring far, far away from the parent plant.

And you make it nice and juicy and tasty

so that seed dispersal can occur.

And birds and mammals will eat the fruit, digest the seeds,

activate the seeds and then deposit them in a nice pile

of fertilizer far, far away from the parent plant.

Oh, my goodness.

Even dispersal is expensive for plants.

So the summary of the story is that as we look

through evolutionary development of plants as plants become more

and more complex that increasing complexity means you have

to have more genes and the more genes you have the more likely

it is that you're going to be safer as a diploid sporophyte

than as a gametophyte.

In other words, the gametophyte phase

because you only have one copy if something bad happens

and you have a lethal error in a gametophyte stage you're out.

Right? But if you're a diploid sporophyte you have a

backup copy.

So you want to spend more and more time

as a diploid sporophyte.

The more genes you have.

And this certainly holds true for animals as well.

Right? So we spend more of our life cycle, much more,

as a diploid organism and a very,

very small amount of time as haploids.

So that is the story of the hide the gametophyte game

that the plants are playing with us.

I really hope that was helpful.

Thank you so much for visiting the Penguin Prof channel.

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