Alternation of generations
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Alternation of generations is the predominant life cycle in plants and algae, involving multicellular diploid and haploid forms.[1][2] This cycle alternates between a diploid sporophyte generation and a haploid gametophyte generation.[3]
Key facts and history
Adelbert von Chamisso and Japetus Steenstrup first described alternation of generations in animals, but the term was later restricted to plants.[4] Wilhelm Hofmeister demonstrated the morphological alternation between sporophyte and gametophyte in plants in 1851.[5] In all modern vascular plants, the gametophyte is less developed than the sporophyte.[6] The cytological alternation between diploid and haploid nuclear phases was identified by Eduard Strasburger in 1874.[7]
Within seed plants, the female gametophyte matures entirely inside the sporophyte.[8] The male gametophytes, known as pollen grains, are minimized to just a handful of cells.[9]
What the cited sources add
The 1995 Springer publication "Plant physiology" includes discussion of the alternation between diploid and haploid nuclear phases.[10][7]
References
- Wikipedia, "Alternation of generations" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "alternation of generations Definition & Examples", Encyclopedia Britannica (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alternation of generations" (CC BY-SA 4.0) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alternation of generations" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: , and .; , and . (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alternation of generations" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Object of the month: The poet and the dolphin skull", Hermann von Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik, 1 July 2023; Haig, "Homologous versus antithetic alternation of generations and the origin of sporophytes", The Botanical Review, 2008, p. 395–418; Haig, "Homologous versus antithetic alternation of generations and the origin of sporophytes", The Botanical Review, 2008, p. 395–418 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alternation of generations" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Svedelius, "Alternation of Generations in Relation to Reduction Division", Botanical Gazette, 1927, p. 362–384; Currey, "On the germination, development, and fructification of the higher Cryptogamia, and on the fructification of the Coniferæ", Robert Hardwicke, 1862; Feldmann, "Recherches sur les Bonnemaisoniacées et leur alternance de generations", Ann. Sci. Natl. Bot., 1942, p. 75–175; Haig, "Homologous versus antithetic alternation of generations and the origin of sporophytes", The Botanical Review, 2008, p. 395–418 (origi en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alternation of generations" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Thomas, "Physiological evaluation of the nutritional autonomy of a hornwort sporophyte", Botanical Gazette, 1978, p. 306–311; Glime, "Bryophyte Ecology: Vol. 1 Physiological Ecology", Michigan Technological University and the International Association of Bryologists, 2007; Kerp, "New gametophytes from the Lower Devonian Rhynie Chert", Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, 2003, p. 411–428 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alternation of generations" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Haig, "Homologous versus antithetic alternation of generations and the origin of sporophytes", The Botanical Review, 2008, p. 395–418; Feldmann, "Les problèmes actuels de l'alternance de génerations chez les Algues", Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France, 1972, p. 7–38; Feldmann, "Les problèmes actuels de l'alternance de génerations chez les Algues", Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France, 1972, p. 7–38; Schopfer, P., "Plant physiology", Springer, 1995, p. 288–291 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alternation of generations" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kerp, "New gametophytes from the Lower Devonian Rhynie Chert", Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences, 2003, p. 411–428 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Alternation of generations" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: ; (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Open Library record, ISBN 9783540580164 ("Plant physiology"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Alternation of generations (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Alternation of generations (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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