LECTURE 19 - Parental Care (Seed Dispersal)

Question 1

Seed dispersal is equivalent to what in animals?

Answer 1

Parental Care

Question 2

What do plants do to physically protect their seeds?

Answer 2

Hard structures/armour and hard seed coats

Question 3

Describe how plants protect their seeds chemically

Answer 3

Unripe berries have bitter terpenoids and aposematic colouration.

Question 4

Describe milkweeds parental care.

Answer 4

1. Have terpenoids in unripe seeds

2. Distribute seeds via anemochory

Question 5

Describe the special adaptations for anemochory

Answer 5

small lightweight seeds

sometimes silk parachutes (dandelions)

Question 6

What is the drawback for wind dispersal? What is the solution?

Answer 6

Drawback: Could land in the wrong spot and miss the target habitat?

Solution: Produce a lot of seeds

Question 7

What is the word for animals that harness the power of animals for distribution?

Answer 7

Zoochory

Question 8

Inside verses outside of the animal distribution of seeds.

Answer 8

Inside: Endozoochory
Outside: Epizoochory

Question 9

Give two examples of endozoochory.

Answer 9

Cedar Waxwings / Bears

Question 10

Describe Epizoochory and give an examples.

Answer 10

Seeds with hooks or barbs that catch on feathers and fur.

Queens Annes Lace (has an ubmbel plant structure that closes on cloudy days)

Question 11

What are elaiosomes? How do they help distribute the seeds?

Answer 11

Food package on the seed full of lipids and proteins.

Ants will drag the seed to their food chache feed on the elaiosome and then throw the seed in their trash pile where it will germinate and sprout.

Question 12

What two plants use elaiosomes for seed distribution?

Answer 12

Trilliums (Spring Ephermeals) and Violets

Question 13

What is it called when a plant shoots out its seeds? What plant does this?

Answer 13

Ballistic Ejection / Violets

Question 14

How do squirrels help distribute seeds?

Answer 14

If they forget about their caches.

Question 15

Describe how mitrewort uses raindrops for seed distribution.

Answer 15

They have splashcups that when the rain hits them seeds come flying out with the raindrops.

Question 16

What other plant besides mitrewort uses raindrops for seed distribution?

Answer 16

Foamflowers

Question 17

When is wind an option for seed dispersal in the forest?

Answer 17

Fall time

Question 18

Describe trees that disperse their seeds via wind in the forest.

Answer 18

Maples have samaras on their seeds (helicopters)
Basswoods have sails on their seeds
Yellow Birch have little wings on their seeds

Question 19

What is the word for water dispersed seeds? What plant uses this?

Answer 19

Hydrochory

Wild Iris

Question 20

Hydrochory seeds usually have mechanisms that do what?

Answer 20

Help they stay afloat

Question 21

Describe the Orange Jewelweed’s strategy for seed distribution.

Answer 21

Grows in wet places and will hold seeds under high tension. When something touches it it will throw seeds out up to 3m with ballistic ejection.

Question 22

What are the 4 advantages of seed dispersal?

Answer 22

1. Avoids crowding and competition
2. Prevents spreading of disease or parasites
3. Prevents in breeding
4. Saves some of the offspring from being eaten

Question 23

Why does seed production varry?

Answer 23

Environmental conditions and plants exhibit a “boom or bust” strategy and will abort seeds if conditions become poor.