In our last topic we finished at the process of fertilization. We will learn how seeds grow into a plant. For the seeds to turn into a plant, the seed goes through two processes:
Seed Dispersal
Germination
Today we will only go through the process of "seed dispersal".
Seed Dispersal:
Seed dispersal is the process in which, seeds of a plant are transported to a place, which is a considerable distance from the parent plant, by the agents. They disperse the seeds away from the parent plant. The seeds could fall of near the parent plant and in a distant place. Now what are agents who make the process of seed dispersal possible?
There are two types of agents:
A-biotic agents: these are the agents which are non-living organism.
Biotic agents: these are the agents which are living things.
Agent transfer seeds to different places. Examples of agent are:
Wind
Water
Explosion
Animals
Wind, water and explosion are a-biotic (these processes are those which do not involve any living organisms) and animals are biotic agents (process which involve living organisms). We will go through all the ways of seed dispersal, where all these agents make the process of seed dispersal possible.
Seed dispersal through:
Wind:
Seed like dandelion seeds, have a parachute or hair-like structure, which makes it easier for the wind to carry them. When the wind blows, the light-weighted seeds of dandelion blows off with the wind. When the wind stops, the dandelion seeds fall off. The seeds are dispersed far away from the parent plant.
Water:
Fruits which can float, like coconut and lotus, they are carried away by water and these types of fruit travel farthest away from the parent plant.
Explosion:
It is a self-plant way of seed dispersal. When a plant's fruit has properly ripened, a point comes when the fruit is so fully grown that the fruit burst open with a force. Thus, because of the force and explosion, the seeds are thrown out and they fall off farther away from the parent plant. Example of such fruit plant are broom and pea plant.
*The last agent, which is a biotic agent:
Animals:
We all know that we human beings are animals too. Recall, what do you do with the seed of a juicy fruit after you eat the fruit? We throw it away. This is how the seeds of the fruit travel farther away from the parent plant.
Birds also like seeds of a juicy fruit. When a bird eats a seed, it cannot digest it properly because of the hard seed coat. When the bird is not able to digest it, the seed comes out of the bird in its waste. The seed that exits the bird's body has a softened seed coat because of the chemical reactions it went through in the bird's stomach. So after the seed comes out with the waste, the seed easily goes into the soil and the process of germination becomes relatively easier.
*Juicy Fruits like: Blackberry, apple and cherry are a few examples.
But the question arises: why is the process of seed dispersal important for plants?
Importance of Seed dispersal:
If the seeds grow near the parent plant, it will affect the growth and development of both the parent plant and the baby plant. The 2 plants will have to compete for the essentials required for a plant growth, such as water and sunlight. This will affect both plants and the baby plant will not grow properly.
Therefore seed dispersal is extremely useful and important for plants.
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