Abstract
The formation of gas bubbles byZostera marina immediately prior to seed release is described together with evidence for its role as a seed dispersal mechanism. The gas bubbles, ranging in volume from 1.1 to 3.4 mm3, escape from the funiculus and adhere to the seed coat. As a bubble expands, the seed is pushed clear of the ovary and rises to the water surface with the bubble attached. Field data suggest that approximately 5–13% of the seeds produced are released with gas bubbles, and in some cases are transported more than 200 m (float time≥40 min).
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Churchill, A.C., Nieves, G. & Brenowitz, A.H. Flotation and dispersal of eelgrass seeds by gas bubbles. Estuaries 8, 352–354 (1985). https://doi.org/10.2307/1351872
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1351872