Igbalic, Kimberly E.

BSPH 1-D

Dispersal of Gravity

An apple orchard is a place where apples are grown. As you go through the trees, you'll see a lot of
apples on the ground and in the trees. When fruits and their seeds fall from the tree in a process known
as abscission, seed dispersal by gravity happens. Fruit becomes heavier as it ripens, and when this is
paired with chemical signals inside the plant, the fruit falls. Some fruit will roll further away from the
tree, while others will be taken away by other dispersal methods.

Not all plants are so uninterested in their surroundings. Some plants eject seeds from their pods like
cannon. Seed pods on these plants frequently dry out in the sun, causing pressure inside the pod. When
the pressure is high enough, it explodes, scattering seeds all over the place. Some seeds travel even
further due to the wind or water.

Although this may appear to be an unusual method of seed dispersion, you're probably already familiar
with some of these species. Example, a shade loving plants called impatiens. These plants produce small,
spring-loaded seed pods when it's time to reproduce. When the seed pods are fully pressurized, any
minor disturbance, such as a human or animal touching the pod, causes it to explode open, distributing
seeds in all directions.