BIOL 1902 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Seed Dispersal
19 Apr 2016
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Seeds need to be protected parental care . Protection: physical (ie acorns, chemical typically terpenoids resin (like pincones that are sticky) cardiac glycolysis (in milkweed) Blueberries (bitter taste when they are not ripe) Dispersal techniques it: wind the seed would have to be small and lightweight. Solution: the plant produces a lot of seeds. Solution: able to adapt to wet and dry weather. Opens up on sunny days, closed of cloudy days. When they absorb moisture they close up but when they are dry they open up: zoochory dispersal via animals specifically. Can be on the outside of animals (ie the hooks) can also be on the inside. The protein is called elaiosomes: ballistic ejection: when a plant actively ejects the seed away from it for the ants/ other small animals to take and disperse. Maple samaras (keys) use wind dispersal (the helicopters). Basswood trees use the sails to transport their seeds as well.
