The Problem of Fruit Plant Reproduction, Fruit and Seed Dispersal

How do plants reproduce?  Plants use flowers or cones to fertilize the egg  Pollen and eggs

How do plants reproduce  Plants depend on animals or force of nature to pollinate them  Flowers: animals, insects  Cones and other: wind, water

Problem 1  Flowers are pretty and take a ton of energy to create  Why would a plant invest so much energy and time into a pretty flower, or into crazy reproductive parts?

To attract an make fertilization possible

Pollination  Pollen moves through “style”  #swag  And fertilizes an egg in the ovary

Ovary becomes fruit

Problem 2  Why would a plant spend so much energy to create a fruit?

To transport seeds

Seed movement  Animals might burry seed  Squirrel burry acorn  Animals might poop seed  Apple, Berries, Vegetables  Seed might float away  Coconut

 Why is moving seeds important?

Other Seed Dispersal Methods  Burrs, Wind, Spores

Seed Dispersal Success Depends Upon  Type of animals  Environmental factors  Number of seeds produced  Seed landing in right spot

Review  Why do seeds spend so much energy creating flowers and systems of fertilization?  Why do seeds invest so much energy in fruit production?

Practice  Why would a plant be more successful as a species if it is spread out over a wide geographical area?  What are some factors that affect the successful germination of seeds?