PROPAGULE
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2678 ▶ |
| Object type | Discipline oriented, General information, Methodology or model |
A reproductive element able to migrate far away from its original population or system.
L. PITELKA et al. use the term in botanical ecology (1997, p.467).
Seeds carried away by strong winds, or transported by vertebrates are classical examples.
Propagules frequently play an important role in dispersal and expansion of epidemics through new and widely scattered foci. A recent example is intercontinental Template:Ency entity propagation .
Another example is the explosive expansion of forest or bush fires by sparks or burning twigs carried away by fire storms in conflagrations.
Propagules are probably a condition, or at least a very significant factor in percolation phenomena .
Accordingly and in an extended meaning , reproductive elements of any kind as for example bacteria, books, fashions, slogans, memes , etc. can be considered propagules.