Seed Dispersal

Seed dispersal is placed far away from the movement, which spreads away from the parent plant and grows as an individual plant at the new place. These are driven by various agents such as the wind, animals, water, and mechanical systems, all of which have special strategies tailored to various environmental circumstances. Usually, these modes can be determined through changes like wings or fleshy fruit. This simple view could ignore dispersion diversity. Plants can spread by means other than those usually connected with them, and their characteristics can serve more than one purpose.

What is Seed?

A seed is defined as a small embryonic “plant” or a flowering plant that is used to develop a single plant, all enclosed within a protective seed coat. They properly grow in the right temperature, moisture, sunlight, or other various environmental conditions. While the seeds of flowering plants (angiosperms) form with a protective structure called the fruit, the seeds of gymnosperms are bare and exposed to the environment.

What is Seed Dispersal?

Plants produce seeds that have the ability to germinate into new plants, but if the seeds fall to the ground under the parent plant, they may not receive enough light, moisture, or soil nutrients. So in this way, seeds away from the plant that process can enhance the germination and survival of some of the seeds various methods can be used to disperse seeds like wind, water, animals, explosions, fire, and many others. Sometimes, the reason for speed dispersal can be the butterfly weed, which uses force, and wind or the coconut, which employs both gravity and water.

Examples of Seed Dispersal

Some examples of seed dispersal are:

• Dandelion is dispersed by wind, this seed has a parachute-like structure, catches the wind, and flies away from its parent plant.
• Oak Trees are dispersed by animals, which collect acorns and bury them in different food places.
• Coconut is dispersed by water, that floats in water and is dispersed over long distances by ocean currents.
• Hazelnut is dispersed by gravity, fall from the tree, and their seeds may roll away from the parent plant.
• Hellebore is dispersed by Explosion, These seeds are forcefully released from capsules that burst open.

Types of Seed Dispersal

Some of the agents and procedures play a very important role in the life of plants. Even, there are several forms of seed dispersal. Here are five common ways to spread seeds:

• Wind: Many of these seeds are composed of various types of flu that can be carried by the slightest breeze for a long distance giving seeds a chance to germinate some plants need wind to shake them to realise their seed. The seed pod may face up and down and need the wind to shake their stems hard enough to cause seeds to be released. So, In this process Seed dispersed by wind is a common and natural method in the plant kingdom, especially for plants with very light seeds, Examples such as, include orchids, dandelions, swan plants, cottonwood trees, hornbeams, ashes, cattails, puyas, willow herbs, these plants are light in weight that can migrate through wind. It allows them to spread over various places and improve their prospects of germinating recreation successfully.
• Water: The seeds float away with the help of water from the parent plant or we can say emerge from the mother plant. whereas, Seeds are usually adapted to stay afloat and be transported to new places. Examples of such seeds are lilies, coconuts, mangrove trees, and many others. These seeds frequently include coatings or features that enable them to float, which aids in water dispersal and aids in the plants’ colonization of various environments.
• Animals: Plants that depend on animals for seed distribution frequently produce seeds with the ability to attach themselves to the outside of the animal or even travel inside of it. Certain seeds can help spread by connecting to an animal’s fur with their hooks or burrs. Plants tempt animals with delicious fruits in exchange for their journey, and the seeds they drop later help the plant spread to other areas. Examples such as coconut palms, cherries, Burdock, etc.
• Explosions: The seeds’ transmission range is increased when their explosive action pushes them away from the parent plant. In this, Fruits that explode literally mean to burst with all of their vigor. Then, the fruits ripen and release their seeds into the surrounding area. Some of the examples by which seeds are dispersed are okra, Lupins, gorse, and broom or many others.
• Fire: Seeds live in cones sealed area which is a special kind of resin (glue) that releases the seeds only when it melts at a temperature high enough to kill adult trees. These process scans burst their seed cones or split their hard kernels by heat, allowing water to seep in and trigger the development process. These “fire-germinated” plants are widespread everywhere there is a regular occurrence of forest fires. Some examples are lodgepole pine, Eucalyptus, Banksia, and others.

Agents of Seed Dispersal

The agents of seed dispersal are classified into biotic and abiotic agents:

Biotic Agents

The factor that belongs to living organisms as agents of seed dispersal are given below:

• Human Beings: Seeds can be merged with human clothes, or can be carried by human vehicles. Some of the situations can be held on intentionally as, particularly in agriculture, when seeds are sown with the objective of cultivating crops and spreading plant species.
• Animals: As animals eat fruit and excrete seeds away, and grows as a new plant at different places, this act is performed by many living organisms, like Birds, mammals, and even ants etc.

Abiotic Agents

The factor that belongs to non- living organisms as agents of seed dispersal are given below:

• Wind: This is common for seeds that have adaptations such as wings, parachutes, or allows them to be carried by the wind over varying distances. like helicopter plant, gundam plant etc.
• Water: Seeds of some plants floats in water or can be dispersed in water,away from the parent plant. This generally held in aquatic environments. like coconuts, mangrove trees, and many others.

Seed Dispersal by Gravity

The fruits may germinate there by the parent’s plants or they may be carried away and eaten by an animal. This happens when plants with fruits that are leaves disperse their seed by fruit falling to the ground and rolling the same distance, away from the trees. and fall due to the force of gravity. This is a passive process where the seeds rely on their weight to descend to the ground or other surfaces. Some examples are apples, Commelina, canna, coconuts, calabash, and passion fruit these are all dispersed by gravity. So, Let’s look at some of the examples of seed dispersal by gravity in detail.

1. Acorns (Oak Trees): It contains one seed, with the nut of the oaks that fall to the ground under the influence of gravity. This is consumed by animals that disperse acorns as they collect and bury them for later consumption.
2. Hazelnuts: The hazelnut is the fruit of the hazel tree, and falls only when it gets mature. Even, they are also known as cobnuts or filberts. These nuts roll away from the mother plant and grow in a new place.
3. Walnuts: Walnuts are the most common dry fruit that have heavy, hard-shell seeds that fall to the ground and are dispersed by gravity. Their seeds may germinate in a new area if the outer husk breaks down.

Benefits of Seed Dispersal

They provide several benefits to plants and the complete ecosystem, encouraging the variety and preservation of plant species. Some of the benefits are given below:

• The stored food in the seed supports the growth of the seed till it becomes nutritionally independent.
• These seeds can be stored for a longer time as a food source.
• They are adaptive for seed dispersal to form new plant colonies.
• Even, they prevent the competition for water, minerals, and sunlight among the same kind of plants.
• In habitats that humans have influenced, seed dispersion by animals aids in the survival of many species.
• The correct development and operation of various ecosystems, from deserts to evergreen forests, as well as the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem restoration, depend on an understanding of fruit and seed distribution.

Significance of Seed Dispersal

Seed Dispersal plays a crucial role in the life cycle of plants, and over in the complete ecosystems.

• Plant species survive more when their seeds are dispersed.
• Plant populations benefit from increased genetic variety when seeds are dispersed to extensive areas.
• It helps plant species find appropriate habitats, which aids in their adaptation to changing climatic circumstances.
• It enables organisms to travel across the terrain and preserve biodiversity.

FAQ’s – Seed Dispersal

1. What are the 5 Types of Seed Dispersal?

There are common 5 types of seed dispersal:

• Seed Dispersal by Wind.
• Seed Dispersal by Water.
• Seed Dispersal by Animal.
• Seed Dispersal by Gravity.
• Seed Dispersal by Explosions.

2. What is Meant by Seed Dispersal?

Plants produce seeds that have the ability to germinate into new plants, but if the seeds fall to the ground under the parent plant, they may not receive enough light, moisture, or soil nutrients. So in this way, seeds away from the plant that process can enhance the germination and survival of some of the seeds.

3. Why is Seed Dispersal Important?

This is important because if the seeds are not dispersed, many germinating seedling will grow very close to the parent plant. As a result, every one suffers if its baby plant (seed) or the parent plant. When seed separate from mother plant they didn’t get proper light, space, water and nutrients.

4. What are 5 Seeds Dispersed by Explosion?

Ballistic dispersal, another name for explosive dispersion of seeds, usually involves force to launch the seeds away from the parent plant. Some of the examples are:

• Hellebore
• Cardamine hirsuta (Hairy Bittercress)
• Viola (Violet)
• Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle)
• Geranium (Cranesbill)

5. How are Tomato Seeds Dispersed?

Tomato seeds are dispersed by animals, In which the animals consume the outer part and excrete the seed, this causes dispersion. Additionally, fruit that has been partially consumed by animals and is carried and dumped by them disperses.