What is a key difference between vascular and nonvascular plants regarding nutrient transport?

Vascular plants have specialized tissues called xylem and phloem that allow them to efficiently transport water, nutrients, and sugars throughout their structure. Xylem is involved in the upward movement of water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant, while phloem transports the products of photosynthesis, such as sugars, from leaves to other parts of the plant. This vascular system enables vascular plants to grow larger and inhabit a wider range of environments since they can better access resources and transport them where needed.

On the other hand, nonvascular plants, such as mosses and liverworts, lack these specialized vascular tissues. They rely on diffusion and osmosis for nutrient and water movement, which limits their size and the types of habitats they can occupy. This fundamental difference in nutrient transport systems is what distinguishes vascular plants from nonvascular ones, emphasizing the importance of vascular tissues in facilitating growth and accessibility to nutrients.