Seed dispersal is the process in which seeds of a plant are transported and spread away from the parent plant. The dispersal can take place through a number of agents, such as wind, water, insects, etc. There are a number of advantages to seed dispersal and these are listed here for easy reference:
- No competition with parent plant: If there is no seed dispersal, the seeds will be deposited very close to the parent plant and will therefore compete with the parent plant for resources such as nutrients, water, and sunlight, among others. In this way, seed dispersal is beneficial both for the new plants as well as the parent plant.
- More chances of survival: In the case of a disease or infection spreading that is targeted at the species of plant, any closely growing plants of the same species will be at risk. If the daughter plants are far away from the parent plant due to seed dispersal, they may be at a lower risk of infection and thus, may have better chances of survival.
- Geographic spread: Dispersal also allows the plant species to spread in a wider geographic region, thereby providing them with a bigger habitat.
- Better prospects: A plant that is growing far from the parent plant may have access to more resources, especially if it isn't competitive with the local flora. This provides better prospects for the daughter plants and the continuation of the species as a whole.
Hope this helps.
No comments:
Post a Comment