Seed Dispersal
Last week I noticed that when I
walked through the prairie area near the far shelter, seeds collected on my
skirt. Many seeds "travel" by attaching themselves to animals
(onto their fur) or people (on their clothes) passing by. This adaptation
allows seeds to travel to a new area where there may be more space and sunlight
for a better chance of germinating and growing into a mature plant.
The person who invented Velcro
actually looked closely at a seed and saw how it had little hooks on it to
attach itself to animal fur. Velcro has one side with little hooks which
attaches to a more wooly/hairy side. A great way for students to observe
this is to wear a sock on their hand and lightly brush plants as they walk
by. Students can then look closely at seeds using a magnifying lens or
microscope.
Have a great day!
Teresa Mulvihill
Outdoor Classroom Specialist/Library Media Specialist