How to measure dispersal distance

Question

How Would I measure the dispersal distance of tree seeds? - what technique could I use? And what statistical analysis should I do? (seed mass vs disperal?)

Or Samara shape vs dispersal distance?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Great questions, Seed dispersal is a critical life stage of plants, yet accurate measurement of dispersal distances has been difficult in natural systems. Genetic techniques for matching dispersed seeds to maternal trees provide valuable data on dispersal events. Questions remain regarding how best to estimate the population seed dispersal distance distributions from such data and how these estimates compare with classical non-genetic estimates based on seed trap data alone. A great article is https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/PL00008876 it explains wind dispersal of seeds over long distances.

Seed mass was positively related to mean dispersal distance, with a 100-fold increase in seed mass being associated with a 4.5-fold increase in mean dispersal distance (R² = 0.16; n = 210 species; P < 0.001).

Also, check out https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2011.01867.x#:~:text=Seed%20mass%20was%20positively%20related,species%3B%20P%20%3C%200.001). it recommends that height has more of an impact than seed mass.