Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 14:41:11 EDT From: JWi5770869@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2125$foo@default> Subject: Bird Dispersion
In a message dated 15/07/00 09:37:42 GMT Daylight Time,
cp@opus.labs.agilent.com writes:
> If eaten by birds and if they can resist there inside (why not? many seeds
> do it and Aldrovanda's seem quite robust) they can be carried to a rather
> long distance.
>
> >and as
> >for a bird carrying turions; Why would it? Even if the turions were
> hitching
> >a ride in the birds feathers, would this stop them drying out (I dont
think
>
> >so).
>
> Turions and plant fragments would probably not resist too long in the air
> without drying out. However, they don't need to go very far to colonise the
> next pond. To travel e.g. from Italy to Australia they would need many
> years, of course, but they have had plenty of time.
> In the past, bogs and lakes were much more common than today and such
> dispersion was surely easy, also helped by occasional floodings.
>
> Regards
>
> Filippo Tassara
> Genoa, Italy
>
>
Filippo,
Why would the bird eat the Aldrovanda seed? Is it contained in a fruit? (I
don't know but I'm guessing it isn't).Is the seed resistant to stomach acids?
etc etc
By your own arguments, a lot of plant species should be far more widespread
than they actually appear to be (for instance why aren't Sarracenia spread
out in the entire USA. Why didn't Sarracenia make it to Europe or S.
America?).
Yes there is the argument that intervening populations between Europe and
Australia (if we take Aldrovanda as an example) could have died out since,
but there should be small populations dotted inbetween (now I'M guessing!!!!).
Is anybody aware of any research carried out when ornithologists ring birds
during their migrations. Do they also look for attached plant material??(if
not I'll have to ask one of the UK bird organisations RSPB, BTO etc).
John" I wanna know" Wilden
Southport
Lancs.
UK
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