What Are Animal Fruits and How Do They Attract Animals?

Animal fruits have evolved to be eaten or carried by animals, which then transport the seeds to new locations. This is a form of mutualism where the plant achieves seed dispersal, and the animal receives a nutritional reward.

The Role of Animals in Seed Dispersal

The dispersal of seeds by animals is known as zoochory. One primary method is endozoochory, where an animal consumes a fleshy fruit, digests the pulp, and later excretes the intact seeds. This passage through an animal’s digestive tract can sometimes help a seed to germinate.

Epizoochory is the accidental transport of seeds that cling to an animal’s fur or feathers. Plants adapted for this often have fruits covered in hooks, barbs, or sticky substances that latch onto passing animals. In both methods, the animal carries the seeds away from the parent plant, reducing competition for resources and helping the plant colonize new areas.

Attractive Qualities of Animal-Dispersed Fruits

To ensure their seeds are transported, plants have evolved fruits with specific traits to attract animal dispersers. Bright colors are a common signal, with reds and blues often attracting birds, while yellows and oranges may be more visible to mammals. These colors make the fruits stand out against the green foliage.

Beyond visual appeal, many fruits produce appealing scents that travel through the air, guiding animals to them. The most direct reward, however, is nutritional. Fruits offer a rich source of energy in the form of sugars, fats, and sometimes proteins.

Examples of Animal Fruits and Their Dispersers

Many common fruits are adapted for dispersal by specific animal groups. For instance, the small, soft, and brightly colored nature of cherries and blueberries makes them ideal for birds to swallow whole. Birds consume the fruit, fly off, and later deposit the seeds far from the original plant, often with a small amount of fertilizer.

Larger, fleshy fruits like mangoes and figs attract mammals. Bats are significant dispersers of fig seeds, consuming the fruit and scattering the seeds across wide areas during their nightly flights. Similarly, nuts such as acorns and walnuts are collected by squirrels and other rodents. These animals often bury more nuts than they can eat, and the forgotten caches can later sprout into new trees.