High-speed video and plant ultrastructure define mechanisms of gametophyte dispersal

Abstract

Dispersal of gametophytes is critical for land plant survivorship and reproduction. It defines potential colonization and geographical distribution as well as genetic mixing and evolution. C. T. Ingold's classic works on Spore Discharge in Land Plants and Spore Liberation review mechanisms for spore release and dispersal based on real-time observations, basic histology, and light microscopy. Many mechanisms underlying spore liberation are explosive and have evolved independently multiple times. These mechanisms involve physiological processes such as water gain and loss, coupled with structural features using different plant tissues. Here we review how high-speed video and analyses of ultrastructure have defined new biomechanical mechanisms for the dispersal of gametophytes through the dissemination of haploid diaspores, including spores, pollen, and asexual reproductive propagules. This comparative review highlights the diversity and importance of rapid movements in plants for dispersing gametophytes and considerations for using combinations of high-speed video methods and microscopic techniques to understand these dispersal movements. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms is crucial not only for understanding gametophyte ecology but also for applied engineering and biomimetic applications used in human technologies.