Three Processes of Plant Life: A Database Integrating Pollination, Seed Dispersal, and Growth Forms of Seed Plants

Pollination and seed dispersal are two distinct yet ontogenetically linked processes that are fundamental to the reproduction and diversification of seed plants (Fleming & Kress, 2013). In most flowering plants, successful pollination is crucial for the development of fruits and seeds, directly linking these two processes. Both pollination and seed dispersal involves the movement of plant propagules, such as the pollen and seeds respectively, but serve different functions. Pollination enables fertilization by transferring pollen within or among individuals, whereas seed dispersal facilitates the movement of offspring away from parental plants, influencing population spread, colonization, and community assembly. To accomplish these processes, seed plants employ a wide range of mechanisms. Pollen and seeds may be transported by animals, wind, water, or even through self-mediated mechanisms (Faegri & Van der Pijl, 1979; Bronstein, 2015).Despite their close biological connection, pollination and seed dispersal have traditionally been studied separately. This separation has led to disconnected datasets, limiting our ability to evaluate the joint evolution of reproductive traits and strategies. One of the earliest attempts to explicitly link these processes was proposed by Bawa (1980). More than 30 years later, Dáttilo et al. (2016) integrated pollination modes, seed dispersal strategies, and ant defensive behavior within a tripartite network framework, although their analysis was restricted to a specific habitat in Mexico. Several additional studies have independently examined macroevolutionary patterns of pollination modes (Stephen et al., 2023), seed dispersal strategies (Larson-Johnson, 2016; Vasconcelos et al., 2023), and plant growth forms (Beaulieu et al., 2013). More recently a study investigated the correlated evolution of pollination modes and seed dispersal strategies (Yamawo & Ohno, 2024). However, most of these studies relied on limited taxonomic sampling, often including one or two species per angiosperm family, thereby overlooking substantial within-family variation.Here, we compiled a comprehensive genus-level database of seed plants that integrates information on pollination modes, pollination vectors, seed dispersal strategies and vectors, sexual mating systems, fruit types, and growth forms. The database encompasses 34 gymnosperm genera representing 11 families across 5 orders, and 1,576 angiosperm genera representing 235 families across all 64 angiosperm orders. Trait data were primarily obtained from botanical monographs and peer-reviewed primary literature, with all sources documented for each genus (see Supporting Information for the full reference list).Pollination modes were classified as biotic or abiotic. Biotic pollination includes all animal-mediated modes, whereas abiotic pollination includes wind, water, and self-pollination. Seed dispersal strategies were categorized as anemochory (wind), autochory (gravity or ballistic ejection), hydrochory (water), epizoochory (external transport via animal surfaces), endozoochory (seed ingestion), myrmecochory (ants), synzoochory (hoarding animals), and stomatochory (pulp consumption without seed ingestion) (Heleno & Vargas, 2015; van der Pijl, 1982). Plant growth form was classified as herbaceous or woody. Herbaceous forms include annuals, perennial herbs, vines, and herbaceous epiphytes, whereas woody forms include trees, shrubs, lianas, and woody epiphytes. When a genus exhibited multiple strategies or growth forms, we assigned the most commonly reported trait. In contrast, sexual mating systems are often highly variable within genera. Therefore, for this trait, we recorded all mating systems documented for each genus. These included dioecious, monoecious, polygamous, and bisexual (hermaphroditic) systems.The database also includes annotation fields for pollination and seed dispersal. When trait information was ambiguous or unavailable in the literature, strategies were inferred based on floral, fruit, or seed traits, and these cases were explicitly noted. Fruit type was classified as fleshy and dry fruits. Fleshy fruits include berries, drupes, fruits with elaiosomes, or any fruit with a fleshy component, whereas dry fruits include samaras, schizocarps, achenes, nuts, follicles, and capsules lacking fleshy tissue surrounding the seeds.By integrating these multiple reproductive traits across a broad phylogenetic scale, this database provides a valuable resource for studying the ecological and evolutionary processes linking pollination and seed dispersal in seed plants. We encourage further experimental and natural history studies, particularly for genera in which trait assignments were inferred rather than directly documented. Robust ecological and evolutionary inference depends on accurate biological information, and this database represents a step toward a more integrative understanding of plant reproductive strategies.