disseminules

Disseminules are propagules that enable the spread and propagation of organisms by dispersal from a source. The term is used across biology—especially in mycology, lichenology, phycology, and plant ecology—to describe units that can detach and survive long enough to colonize new environments. Disseminules may be formed by fragmentation of the body, by specialized reproductive structures such as spores, or by vegetative propagules that carry the organism’s genetic material to new locations.

In fungi and lichens, common disseminules include spores and specialized vegetative propagules. Fungi produce various spores such as conidia and sporangiospores that function primarily in dispersal. In lichens, isidia and soredia are vegetative propagules that contain both fungal and photosynthetic partners and can disperse to establish new thalli. Fragments of the thallus may also act as disseminules in certain crustose lichens or leafy forms. In algae and some fungal groups, additional disseminules such as zoospores contribute to dispersal.

In plants and bryophytes, disseminules include seeds and spores, which are the primary means of long-distance spread. Many vascular plants also produce vegetative propagules such as bulbils, tubers, runners, or broken fragments that can establish new populations when dispersed.

Dispersal mechanisms for disseminules include wind, water, animals (both external and internal transport), and gravity. Traits such as size, surface properties, desiccation tolerance, and viability influence dispersal distance and success.

Ecologically, disseminules shape species ranges, genetic structure, and community dynamics, and they have implications for invasion biology, restoration, and management of ecosystems.