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A new apparatus to measure the rate of fall of seeds
Article first published online: 30 OCT 2003
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.1997.00049.x
1997 British Ecological Society
1365-2435/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=571713c051a4c9b4843f1aa4a484de7ca8661854 "Functional Ecology")
Additional Information
How to Cite
ASKEW, A. P., CORKER, D., HODKINSON, D. J. and THOMPSON, K. (1997), A new apparatus to measure the rate of fall of seeds. Functional Ecology, 11: 121–125. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2435.1997.00049.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 30 OCT 2003
- Article first published online: 30 OCT 2003
- Abstract
- Cited By
Keywords:
- Compositae;
- laser;
- seed size;
- terminal velocity;
- wind dispersal
1. Seed dispersal is widely recognized to be of crucial importance in the ecology of plant communities, yet characterization of dispersal capacity rarely goes beyond two categories: ‘good’ and ‘poor’ dispersers, defined on the basis of dispersule morphology.
2. We describe a new apparatus which determines the rate of fall of seeds in air by detecting their passage through two fans of laser light.
3. This apparatus is able to measure rate of fall in smaller seeds than previously published methods and reveals that there is no justification for the arbitrary division of species into two wind dispersal categories.