Moss sperm are motile and capable of swimming short distances to fertilize an egg. However, it was unknown until recently how sperm make their way from male to female gametophytes that may be separated by a distance of several centimeters or more. What structure do moss sperm use for motility, and how does that reflect the evolution of land plants from green algae?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Moss sperm use flagella for motility. Flagella are long, whip-like structures that protrude from the sperm cells and enable them to swim through water to reach the egg.
2. The presence of flagella in moss sperm is a reflection of their evolutionary heritage from green algae, which also use flagella for motility in water environments.
3. This evolutionary trait suggests that early land plants, like mosses, still depended on water for reproduction, similar to their aquatic ancestors, the green algae.
4. The reliance on water for fertilization in mosses indicates that the transition from aquatic to terrestrial life involved gradual adaptations to reduce dependency on water for reproduction.
5. Over time, more advanced land plants developed other reproductive strategies, such as pollen and seeds, which allowed them to reproduce without the direct need for water, further adapting to terrestrial environments.