Page 9 - Science - 5

competition among seedlings as well as

with the parent plant. The competition
is for light, space, water and nutrients.

All of these are important for plants to
grow. Seeds can be dispersed in a

number of various ways. They may be

carried by water, wind or animals.
Some plants even shoot out their seeds

explosively. The size of seeds is an

important factor in their dispersal. Seeds of dandelion with tufts of hair

Dispersal of Seeds by Wind

Seeds dispersed by the wind must be light and small in order to be carried by
the wind. This means that they can be carried to greater distances. They have

hairs or wings to help them get carried away by the wind. The seeds of cotton,
dandelion and hiptage have tufts of hair. Sycamore seeds are winged. They

spin through the air like mini-helicopters.

Dispersal of Seeds by Water

Plants which grow in oceans, ponds and rivers
or near water bodies, use water for the

dispersal of seeds. The lotus fruit has a spongy
part which helps it in floating.

Have you seen a coconut? It is hollow on the

inside and is covered with hair on the outside.
This makes it light and hence it can be carried

The spongy part of a lotus fruit by flowing water over long distances.

Dispersal of Seeds by Animals and Humans

Animals and humans eat fruits and throw Million Dollar Advise

away their seeds. Seeds of mango,
Squirrels collect nuts like a corns
orange, apple etc., are dispersed in this
and bury them for winter food,
way. Some seeds have hooks that stick to
but they often forget where they
the fur of animals or to the clothes of
have buried them and these seeds
humans and get dispersed. Such an
grow into new trees as a result.
example is of the cocklebur seeds.

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