A bird eating a ripe
seed pod
of Stenocereus thurberi
(Photo by: Jürgen Menzel - California USA) |
Endozoochory is a common highly
effective mechanism in the dispersal of viable seeds. It is the
transport of seeds inside of animal bodies. Animals ingest seeds
and fruits and then pass them in their feces.
Although most plant lack the capacity to disperse seed by
themselves to neighbouring areas, many species present
widespread distributions thanks to the mobility of animals for
the dispersal of pollen and seeds. For example diet studies of
birds and grazing animals have shown that they consume and
disperse large quantities of seeds from a wide variety of
species.The seeds of some plants actually require passage
through an animal gut in order to germinate.
Some seeds adapted for endozoochory require scarification, the
abrasion or chemical degradation of the seed coat that may be
required by some species in order for the seeds to germinate |