Answer: Seeds provide independence from water for fertilization and protect the embryo.
- A Seeds are uniformly smaller and lighter than the spores they evolved from
- B Seeds provide independence from water for fertilization and protect the embryo
- C Seed formation is restricted entirely to consistently moist, waterlogged conditions
- D Seeds undergo a shorter dormancy period than the spores of earlier plant lineages
Correct answer: B. Seeds provide independence from water for fertilization and protect the embryo
Explanation: The seed habit was a major evolutionary advantage: pollen (male gametophyte) eliminated dependence on water for fertilization; the seed coat protects the embryo; stored food (endosperm) aids germination. This enabled colonization of dry land.
Plants evolved from water-dependent algae through increasingly land-adapted groups, gaining vascular tissue (Pteridophyta), then seeds (Gymnosperms), and finally fruit-enclosed seeds (Angiosperms) - each step reducing dependence on water for reproduction.
Concept context
Classification of plants from algae to angiosperms. Understanding plant diversity is essential for NEET.