SEED MASS AND DISPERSAL CAPACITY IN WIND-DISPERSED DIASPORES

Is there necessarily a trade-off between seed size (mass) and dispersal capacity for wind-dispersed diaspores? Within three families (Pinaceae, Aceraceae, and Leguminosae) with asymmetric samaras, shape is maintained (isometry) despite size change. Consequently, within these three families, equilibrium descent velocity is proportional to samara mass raised to the 1/6 power and, necessarily, larger samaras are more poorly dispersed.