| Autor: |
Kendrick GA; The University of Western Australia, School of Biological Sciences, 35 Stirling Hwy, 6009, Crawley, W.A., Australia. gary.kendrick@uwa.edu.au.; The University of Western Australia, Oceans Institute, Crawley, Australia. gary.kendrick@uwa.edu.au., Pomeroy AW; The University of Western Australia, Oceans Institute, Crawley, Australia.; The University of Western Australia, Oceans Graduate School, Crawley, Australia., Orth RJ; Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, 1375 Greate Rd., Gloucester Pt., VA, 23062, USA., Cambridge ML; The University of Western Australia, School of Biological Sciences, 35 Stirling Hwy, 6009, Crawley, W.A., Australia.; The University of Western Australia, Oceans Institute, Crawley, Australia., Shaw J; The University of Western Australia, Centre for Microscopy Characterisation and Analysis, Crawley, Australia., Kotula L; The University of Western Australia, UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, Crawley, Australia., Lowe RJ; The University of Western Australia, Oceans Institute, Crawley, Australia.; The University of Western Australia, Oceans Graduate School, Crawley, Australia. |
| Abstrakt: |
Seeds of Australian species of the seagrass genus Posidonia are covered by a membranous wing that we hypothesize plays a fundamental role in seed establishment in sandy, wave swept marine environments. Dimensions of the seed and membrane were quantified under electron microscopy and micro-CT scans, and used to model rotational, drag and lift forces. Seeds maintain contact with the seabed in the presence of strong turbulence: the larger the wing, the more stable the seed. Wing surface area increases from P. sinuosa < P. australis < P.coriacea correlating with their ability to establish in increasingly energetic environments. This unique seed trait in a marine angiosperm corresponds to adaptive pressures imposed on seagrass species along 7,500 km of Australia's coastline, from open, high energy coasts to calmer environments in bays and estuaries. |
