Dianne Bersea asked Thor Hanson:

Hello Thor, I'm a big fan of your book and it requires a re-read. I loved all the intriguing seed stories. My partner has just recently read it and enthusiastically shared stories and new insights at every meal. Alas, I can't remember something about your book that I'm sure you commented on. Do seeds anticipate future weather conditions? Does a plant energize the seed manufacture if a harsh winter is ahead?

Thor Hanson Hi Dianne,

Thanks for your kind words, and for this excellent question. The answer is . . . yes and no. During its lifetime, an individual plant certainly responds to immediate and past environmental conditions and can adjust the number and quality of seeds that it produces. For example, drought, disease, or other stressors may decrease seed quality if the plant is weakened, or in some cases may spur increased seed production in a sort of "last gasp" attempt to reproduce. There is little evidence, however, that an individual plant can anticipate the future. However, at the species level, evolution often produces great variability in seed traits and how they are expressed, which in a sense does prepare those seeds for a wide range of future weather conditions. I hope this helps, and thanks again for the question.

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