Methods of Seed Dispersal

Adapted from Science Learning Hub (2007)

DOI: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/103-seed-dispersal

Wind
Have you ever blown on a dandelion head and watched the seeds float away? This is wind
dispersal. Seeds from plants like dandelions, swan plants and cottonwood trees are light
and have feathery bristles that can be carried long distances by the wind. Some plants, like
kauri and maple trees, have “winged” seeds. They don’t float away but flutter to the
ground. With wind dispersal, the seeds are simply blown about and land in all kinds of
places. To help their chances that at least some of the seeds land in a place suitable for
growth, these plants have to produce lots of seeds. Only a small proportion will land in a
suitable place for germination.

Water dispersal
Many plants have seeds that use water as a means of dispersal. The seeds float away from
the parent plant. Mangrove trees live in estuaries. If a mangrove seed falls during low tide,
it can begin to root in the soil. If the seeds fall in the water, they are carried away by the
tide to grow somewhere else. Kōwhai trees also use water dispersal. They have a hard seed
coat that allows them to float down streams and rivers. That is one of the reasons Kōwhai
trees are commonly found on stream banks. Another example is the coconut, which can
travel for thousands of miles on seas or oceans.

Animal dispersal
Over 70% of plants in our woody forests in New Zealand have fleshy fruit that is eaten by
birds. Chemicals in our native birds’ digestive systems help to weaken the tough coats
around these seeds. Birds often fly far away from the parent plant and disperse the seeds in
their droppings. The seeds germinate after they are passed out with the animal’s feces. The
kererū, tūī and bellbird play an important role in seed dispersal. Trees that produce the
largest fruit rely on the kererū because it has such a large, wide beak to eat the fruit.
Some seeds have hooks or barbs that catch onto an animal’s fur, feathers or skin. Plants like
pittosporum have sticky seeds that can be carried away by birds. Humans can also spread
seeds if they get stuck to our clothing or shoes- and if we throw fruit pips and stones out of
the car window!
Explosions
This method of seed dispersal isn’t quite as exciting as it may sound. Some plants, like peas,
gorse and flax, have seedpods that dry out once the seeds are ripe. These plants rely on the
heat from the sun to dry the seed pods out. When dry, the seed pod starts to shrink, and
this creates tension along the walls of the pod. The pods split open and the seeds scatter. If
you’re lucky, on a hot summer day when you walk by a gorse bush, you will hear the gorse
seedpods popping open.