School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK.
School of Engineering, Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK.
New Phytol. 2020 Jan;225(2):653-658. doi: 10.1111/nph.16110. Epub 2019 Sep 12.
Plant dispersal mechanisms rely on anatomical and morphological adaptations for the use of physical or biological dispersal vectors. Recently, studies of interactions between the dispersal unit and physical environment have uncovered fluid dynamic mechanisms of seed flight, protective measures against fire, and release mechanisms of explosive dispersers. Although environmental conditions generally dictate dispersal distances, plants are not purely passive players in these processes. Evidence suggests that some plants may enact informed dispersal, where dispersal-related traits are modified according to the environment. This can occur via developmental regulation, but also on shorter timescales via structural remodelling in relation to water availability and temperature. Linking interactions between dispersal mechanisms and environmental conditions will be essential to fully understand population dynamics and distributions.
植物传播机制依赖于解剖学和形态学的适应，以利用物理或生物传播媒介。最近，对传播单位与物理环境之间相互作用的研究揭示了种子飞行的流体动力学机制、防火的保护措施以及爆炸传播者的释放机制。尽管环境条件通常决定了传播距离，但植物在这些过程中并不是纯粹的被动参与者。有证据表明，一些植物可能会进行有目的的传播，即根据环境改变与传播相关的特征。这可以通过发育调节来实现，但也可以通过与水分和温度有关的结构重塑在更短的时间尺度上实现。将传播机制与环境条件之间的相互作用联系起来，对于充分理解种群动态和分布至关重要。
