Relationship between seed morphological traits and wind dispersal trajectory
Quanlai Zhou A , Zhimin Liu A , Zhiming Xin B , Stefani Daryanto C D E , Lixin Wang E , Jianqiang Qian F , Yongcui Wang A , Wei Liang A G , Xuanping Qin A G , Yingming Zhao B , Xinle Li B , Xue Cui H and Minghu Liu
B I
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72 Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016, China.
B Experimental Center of Desert Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, 1 Tuanjie Road, Dengkou 015200, China.
C State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resources Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
D Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
E Department of Earth Sciences, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
F Henan Agricultural University, 63 Nongye Road, Zhengzhou 450002, China.
G University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
H Prevention and Quarantine Bureau of Forestry Pest of Liaoning, Shenyang 110036, China.
I Corresponding author. Email: slzxlmh@sina.com
Functional Plant Biology 46(12) 1063-1071 https://doi.org/10.1071/FP19087
Submitted: 3 April 2019 Accepted: 1 July 2019 Published: 21 October 2019
Abstract
The structure and dynamics of plant populations and communities are largely influenced by seed dispersal. How the wind dispersal trajectory of seeds shifts with differences in seed morphology remains unknown. We used a wind tunnel and video camera to track the dispersal trajectory of seven species of Calligonum whose seeds have different kinds of appendages and other morphological traits, using variable wind speeds and release heights to determine the relationship between seed morphological traits and wind dispersal trajectory. Concave-, straight-line-, horizontal-projectile- and projectile-shaped trajectories were found. Dispersal trajectories such as the horizontal projectile (HP) and projectile (P) tended to have a long dispersal distance. Straight line (SL) and concave curve (CC) trajectories tended to have a short dispersal distance. Seeds with bristles and large mass tended to have SL and CC trajectories, those with wings or balloon and small mass tended to have HP and P trajectories. Wind speed tended to have a stronger influence on the dispersal trajectory of light and low-wing-loading seeds, and release height tended to have a stronger influence on the dispersal trajectory of heavy and high-wing-loading seeds. Thus, seed wind dispersal trajectory is not only determined by seed morphological characteristics but also by environmental factors such as wind speed and release height.
Additional keywords: dispersal distance, morphological traits, primary dispersal, trajectory mode, video recording methods, wind tunnel.
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