Ballistic dispersal uses force to launch seeds away from the parent plant. Active force happens when the seed pod dries out.

Experimental approaches to study seed dispersal of the Brazil nut tree have hitherto relied on exposed seeds deposited on the forest floor. Here we use a new method to study the natural dispersal by ...

The evolution of fleshy fruit size, in particular in bird-dispersed plants, is believed to be influenced by the size of seed-dispersing vertebrates through gape limitation. Also, it has been ...

More than 90 % of tropical trees rely on fruit-eating animals, especially birds, for the dispersal of their seeds. Adding to previous evidence, new research shows that large birds are more important ...

Trees of the species Pouteria bullata, which is endemic to Brazil and whose common name is guapeva-vermelha, are found solely in the Atlantic Rainforest biome and produce sweet succulent fruit. “Seed ...

Restoring degraded forests can be expensive and complicated, but Brazilian researchers may have a simple technique to add to the restoration toolbox: enlisting fruit-eating animals to spread seeds. A ...

Jan. 13 (UPI) --As ecosystems warm or dry out because of climate change, plants and animals are being forced to move in search of friendly conditions. Animals can swim, scamper and fly, but plants are ...

A new study that included millions of tree-year observations worldwide for the first time documents and analyzes the intricate balance between seed defense and dispersal by forest trees at a global ...

A volcanic island in Iceland revealed that birds, not wind, brought the first plants. This changes what we know about how ...