Biological life cycle
A life cycle is a period involving one generation of an organism through means of
reproduction, whether through
asexual reproduction or
sexual reproduction. In regard to its ploidy, there are three types of cycles:
*
haplontic life cycle
*
diplontic life cycle
*
diplobiontic life cycle
These three types of cycles feature alternating haploid and diploid phases . The haploid organism becomes diploid through
fertilization, which joins of gametes. This results in a zygote which then
germinates. To return to a haploid stage,
meiosis must occur .
Encyclopedia
A
life cycle is a period involving one generation of an organism through means of
reproduction, whether through
asexual reproduction or
sexual reproduction. In regard to its ploidy, there are three types of cycles:
- haplontic life cycle
- diplontic life cycle
- diplobiontic life cycle
These three types of cycles feature alternating haploid and diploid phases . The haploid organism becomes diploid through
fertilization, which joins of gametes. This results in a zygote which then
germinates. To return to a haploid stage,
meiosis must occur . The cycles differ in the product of meiosis, and whether
mitosis occurs. Zygotic and gametic meioses have one mitotic stage and form: during the
n phase in zygotic meiosis and during the
2n phase in gametic meiosis. Therefore, zygotic and gametic meiosis are collectively term
haplobiontic . Sporic meiosis, on the other hand, has two meiosis events : one in each phase.
Haplontic life cycle
A
zygotic meiosis is a
meiosis of a zygote immediately after karyogamy, which is the fusion of two
cell nuclei. This way, the organism ends its diploid phase and produces several haploid cells. These cells divide
mitotically to form either larger, multicellular individuals, or more haploid cells. Two opposite types of gametes from these individuals or cells fuse to become a zygote.
In the whole cycle, zygotes are the only diploid cell; mitosis occurs only in the haploid phase.
The individuals or cells as a result of mitosis are
haplonts, hence this life cycle is also called
haplontic life cycle. Haplonts are:
Diplontic life cycle
Insert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereIn
gametic meiosis, instead of immediately dividing
meiotically to produce haploid cells, the zygote divides
mitotically to produce a multicellular diploid individual or a group of more unicellular diploid cells. Cells from the diploid individuals then undergo meiosis to produce haploid cells or gametes. Haploid cells may divide to form more haploid cells, as in many yeasts, but the haploid phase is not the predominant life cycle phase. In most diplonts, mitosis occurs only in the diploid phase, i.e. gametes usually form quickly and fuse to produce diploid zygotes.
In the whole cycle, gametes are usually the only haploid cells, and mitosis usually occurs only in the diploid phase.
The diploid multicellular individual is a
diplont, hence a gametic meiosis is also called a
diplontic life cycle. Diplonts are:
Diplobiontic life cycle
Main article: Alternation of generationsIn
sporic meiosis, also known as
intermediary meiosis, mitoses occur in both the diploid and haploid phases. It exhibits
alternation of generations, which features of
spore-producing multicellular sporophytes and gamete-producing multicellular gametophytes. Diagramatically, sporic meiosis looks like the complex halves of gametic meiosis and zygotic meiosis are merged into one.
This type of cycle is
diplobiontic .
Sporic meiosis occurs in
plants and many
algae. Having multicellular individuals in both phases means that for some
seaweeds, it is difficult to determine if a macroscopic specimen is gametophytic or sporophytic unless observed under a microscope, this is called isomorphy. However, not all species with sporic meiosis have both large gametophyte and sporophyte generations. The trend in higher plants is having smaller gametophytes that are more dependent and parasitic on sporophytes, a phenomena known as heteromorphy.
Life history theory
In animal and human biology life history theory is a method of understanding evolved behaviors and strategies to optimize reproductive success.
