Uploaded June 2013 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Dispersal of seeds away from the parental plant is very important for diffusion and plants invest resources in a variety of structures specialized for this task. Wind dispersal is a particularly common strategy; many species rely on winged or plumed seeds to increase the efficiency of dispersal. The dispersal distance of a wind-dispersed seed is influenced by wind speed, the height at which the fruit is released, and the rate at which the seed falls to the ground. For this reason many plants evolved structures which decrease the terminal velocity of their seeds so that seeds can be spread out further.
Dispersal of seeds away from the parental plant is very important for diffusion and plants invest resources in a variety of structures specialized for this task. Wind dispersal is a particularly common strategy; many species rely on winged or plumed seeds to increase the efficiency of dispersal. The dispersal distance of a wind-dispersed seed is influenced by wind speed, the height at which the fruit is released, and the rate at which the seed falls to the ground. For this reason many plants evolved structures which decrease the terminal velocity of their seeds so that seeds can be spread out further.
