Talk:Seed dispersal

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article is or was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): 645gg. Peer reviewers: IsabellaGulino, Walkerka.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 08:53, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 6 January 2020 and 22 April 2020. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Pinguicula dilemma.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 08:53, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

Page creation
As part of the previously mentioned class project (see discussion on Biological Dispersal page), we have started a new Seed Dispersal article. We edited sections from the previous Biological Dispersal page and have made some additions. We look forward to any comments, additions, edits, etc. that people may have. This is mainly a framework with which to build upon until there is an adequate description of seed dispersal. I removed the redirect from Seed Dispersal to Biological Dispersal for now, but if there is a more appropriate means of introducing the seed dispersal article, please let me know. Thanks. Jeremydash (talk) 20:50, 9 November 2008 (UTC)


 * There is the question of where dispersal in nonseed plants should be covered (I think I suggested dispersal in plants as a subarticle of biological dispersal a few years ago), but it is good to have a more specific article and most plants are seed plants. Personally I would prefer to just move it to disperal in plants and expand the scope a little to cover ferns, mosses etc. Richard001 (talk) 11:15, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

Reference used
Exploring Creation with Botany? Given the publisher, this sounds like a creationist book to me. In the non-evolutionary context used it's probably quite reliable, but we shouldn't be citing creationist books as sources for biology articles, and a primary source would probably be better in any case. Richard001 (talk) 11:02, 18 September 2010 (UTC)


 * It's alright for that I guess, but you're right it is a creationist book: and probably isn't the most reliable source in a science article. It won't be hard to find a better reference, I'll try to find one soon. Btw, regarding your edit summary, wind + water dispersal should almost certainly be kept separate IMO. Smartse (talk) 11:13, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

Proposing a large reorganization of the article
I'd like to eventually re-organize this page to bring it more in line with the way scientists are currently thinking about it. I haven't fully thought out how it should be done, but one of the ideas I had would be to distinguish dispersal mode (the overall result of a plant's attempt at dispersal) from dispersal syndrome (a specific tactic that is part of a mode). For example, zoochory is a dispersal syndrome but the overall mode of a plant's dispersal might be zoochory followed by hydrochory if the animals frequently defecate in a river that further disperses the seeds. Thus there are many common syndromes exhibited by plants in their dispersal modes, and several plants may have similar but non-identical modes.

I just wanted to see if anyone else has a particular attachment to the way the article is currently written and organized and also to hear some other ideas about a possible revamp. OrtegaPeru (talk) 16:31, 4 April 2012 (UTC)


 * Give it a shot. Guettarda (talk) 16:35, 4 April 2012 (UTC)

Brush Fire

 * The same forces that produced the Pyrocumulus Cloud from the Station_Fire dispersed large numbers of seeds over a considerable area. Residents of Pasadena,_California reported dramatic growth of non-local flora (weeds) that have since become endemic. This is probably a phenomenon common to large brush fires that constitutes a special form of "wind dispersal" as a seed spreading cause.

File:Epilobium hirsutum - Seed head - Triptych.jpg to appear as POTD soon
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Benefits NOT peculiar to dispersal by ant
See the following quote from the current article (my emphasis): Seeds dispersed by ants (myrmecochory) are not only dispersed short distances but are also buried underground by the ants. These seeds can thus avoid adverse environmental effects such as fire or drought, reach nutrient-rich microsites and survive longer than other seeds.[4] These features are peculiar to myrmecochory, which may thus provide additional benefits not present in other dispersal modes.[5]

I dispute the accuracy of the phrase in bold. "These features" are listed as consequent on ("thus …") being "buried underground". However, many burrowing birds and mammals also eat fruits; some (such as squirrels) actively bury seeds (such as acorns) underground as food caches. How, then, can the benefits of underground burial be reserved to seed burial by ants?

Perhaps the editor enjoys using jargon ("myrmecochory") more than they enjoy explaining things simply? As the renowned bumper sticker says: "Eschew obfuscation"! yoyo (talk) 00:37, 11 September 2017 (UTC)

Agricultural science
Enumerate and explain the modes of weed seed dispersal (base on your on understanding) 102.91.29.47 (talk) 19:37, 20 March 2022 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Plant Ecology Winter 2023
— Assignment last updated by IrishGordy (talk) 02:45, 25 February 2023 (UTC)