2007-02-13 22:11:10 · 5 answers · asked by Calchas 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
Generation time, yes. They're also more prolific, producing thousands to millions of offspring each generation (obviously depending on the organism). Thus, within the segregating offspring there is greater chance of individuals who can withstand environmental changes.
Also, plants have more elastic genomes; many are polyploid. Thus, mutations can accumulate more quickly because there are other alleles to 'fall back' on. Those mutations can then be passed on to the next generation. Plants also withstand mutations better. You can knock out or add genes, even whole chromosomes, to/from plants and still get viable seed. Do that to an animal and see what happens... In general, plants need to be able to adapt...they can't migrate like animals, move away form a bad environment. They either have to adapt or they're gone.
2007-02-14 09:34:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Think about what drives evolution...If the environment changes, you better be able to keep up with the changes, whether you are a plant or an animal. The person who made the point about generation span has a good point. If it only takes a year for one generation, you would go through 100 generations in a century. Humans would only get through 3, maybe 4 generations in that time. More genetic change would occur in the plants than the animals if the environment changed that rapidly.
2007-02-14 02:29:25 · answer #2 · answered by Ellie S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would think yes. Plants go through a generation faster than animals do, which is why Mendell chose plants to study basic genetics. One could go through many generations within a short period of time. So, one can most likely conclude that since they breed faster, that their "defects" are going to show up more often, and therefore bring an opportunity for evolution to play a part.
2007-02-13 22:16:22 · answer #3 · answered by link_welch 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't think that plants evolve faster than animals...i think it has a same rate because both of them livin in the same place(earth) with a relative same in time
so if the plant and animal can live until now..i hav assumption that they hav a same rate in evolving
2007-02-13 22:29:19 · answer #4 · answered by spinalcracker 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Depends on the plant and the animal. A sago palm doesn't reproduce very fast, and a fruit fly (considered an animal) reproduces very fast.
2007-02-15 06:22:52 · answer #5 · answered by Miss Vida 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋