Seed Dispersal and Evolution

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For any seed of any kind to start germinating, it requires access to nutrients (poop), water and
sunlight. How many animals do you know of that contain all these three elements in their
chitterlings?

Actually, come to think of it, I believe only water and nutrients are required for the seed to
germinate. The thick coating on seeds prevents water from entering its core. Since the seed will pass
through the animal in a matter of days, I guess the seed is still more or less intact until after it's
been pooped out. Hm, I wonder what happens when you have a serious constipation.

Now, this here is what we call: Geniuses speculating.

A-ha! I have an answer at last. Here's the thing. If we take a live seed, give it water and put it in
good soil, what happens? Exactly. As soon as the coating is gone and water sips into the seed, it
will begin germinating. Now, if while the seed has begun growing, we put it with the soil inside an
opaque tube and constantly massage said tube to slowly force the seed/soil-mixture through it,
what happens? Precisely, the germinating seed is crushed into several little parts and dies a most
suffocating death.

You can thank me later. It's simply not possible for a seed to germinate inside an animal, because
seeds who do will result in the plant dying immediately. Seeds whom stay intact long enough to
start germinating once crapped on the ground bring the evolution of said plant further.

At first (forgive me) I thought it was kind of a stupid question, but then I couldn't stop thinking
about it. Thanks for asking, cft.

Also, in the case of some seeds, grains in particular; the carb/starchy portion and the germ part----one can think of it as the fruit---provides early nurishment for the seed. And yes, some seeds like alfalfa, need only moisture and light. I sprout them all the time, great on salids, sandwiches, etc.

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Like you say, catastalsis (which appropriately enough also happens to be the part of ancient tragic
drama just before the catastrophe).

You might have asked yourself this too: Of all that comes out the belly, how much of plant solidity
has not turned into brown, mushy turd?

(Don't mean to offend, but amuse. 😕 )

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LOL! All in the name of science, eh? I'll consider that touché.

Good question!

They might be on a timer of some sort. Seeds rarely need anything but water to start germinating. I've germinated seeds by wrapping them in wet paper towels and sticking them in a drawer for a while.

I imagine any seed that sprouted in the gut of a herbivore would not survive long. It needs that protective shell.

Originally posted by Jigtie
LOL! All in the name of science, eh? I'll consider that touché.

I don't want to think about you considering his tooshie. PMs pls.

Seeds are tenacious carriers of the selfish gene, found seeds from 4000 yrs.ago have been germinated.

I think the answer is simple. I'm not a biologist, but none has stepped up yet.

It takes a relatively long time for the seeds to "germinate" and begin sprouting and all that. It takes a short time for the seeds to pass through the gut.

I don't know for sure, but I'll bet the "germinating" is actually starting when the "water" in the gut starts to soak into the seed.

I'll look forward to a biologist setting me right.

Originally posted by coquette
I think the answer is simple. I'm not a biologist, but none has stepped up yet.

It takes a relatively long time for the seeds to "germinate" and begin sprouting and all that. It takes a short time for the seeds to pass through the gut.

I don't know for sure, but I'll bet the "germinating" is actually starting when the "water" in the gut starts to soak into the seed.

I'll look forward to a biologist setting me right.

Three posts up above yours (four posts above this one)

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Three posts up above yours (four posts above this one)

With the exception of your timer proposal, the two of you more or less repeated what's already
been suggested. 🙄

Anyway, I read up a little and it turns out the issue is even more interesting than you might think.
First of all, there are dormant and non-dormant seeds. A non-dormant seed is usually ready to
sprout as soon as its embryo comes in contact with water. (A non-dormant seed also dies if it
doesn't get to sprout within a given time.) A dormant seed on the other hand can survive for
millennia without sprouting as long as its embryo is not exposed to water.

Now, there are different coatings: thin-coated and thick-coated seeds. The kind of seed that can
survive the digestive system of an animal, is the thick coated kind. The seeds have developed in
harmony with the evolution of certain animals that likes to eat the seeds for various reasons. The
thing is, that thick-coated seeds can't even begin to germinate until the thick coating is cracked
and water sips in (add to that the correct temperature required). Some seeds are near impossible
for an animal to crack, so it eats the seed whole. The seed passes through the digestive system
of the animal without breaking. However, it's coating is weakened in the process, and once anally
dumped on the ground it may (just may) eventually crack open and allow water to sip into it.

But really, this was interesting reading. There are so many different ways in which wild seeds can
have their thick coating cracked, the reading just never stops. Quite illuminating when considering
the harmony that's been developing between certain animals and plant life over time. If a given
animal is (or a group of animals are) extinct, it's quite possible that some plant life is lost as its
seeds can be directly dependant on the eating habits and digestive rhythm of that/those animal(s).
Fascinating, isn't it?

Ok, I'm telling you: The reading never stops. There's so much to learn on the seeding of plants, I
can read for days and still only understand the net sum of it. Such as seeds that stick to the fur of
animals to spread. Seeds that only sprout if all conditions (not just exposure to moist, but light,
nourishment and so on) are right. Seeds that are part of fruits and spread when animals eat the
fruit. I'm all dizzy.

🙄

But I think the original question has been answered now. A seed in general consists of the coating,
the seed nutrients and the embryo. If the coating of the seed breaks while inside the digestive
system of an animal, the nutrients disperse and the embryo most likely dies.

Right?