Humans help many plants spread their roots in new areas. Carrie Straight 05.03.01 Some plants get to new places when the wind disperses their seeds. Others are able to get around on their own if they sprout new plants from their underground roots. Some plants need something or someone else to help them spread their seeds, like hitching a ride in your dog's fur. Many seeds are carried great distances in the stomachs of birds and mammals and are later “planted” with a little fertilizer. Now, humans help plants disperse their seeds. Researchers reviewed journal articles and books and found that most weeds were taken into (introduced to) new areas by humans and some were even introduced on purpose (like kudzu, Pueraria lobata). With people’s ability to travel across many miles, plants, animals, and even germs can now move into areas where they have never been. This can increase the possibility of more non-native weedy species coming into your backyard. Mack, Richard N. and W. Mark Lonsdale. 2001. Humans as global plant dispersers: getting more than we bargained for. BioScience 51(2): 95-102. ©2001 The Aurora Collection, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Site Development by: Interactive Multimedia. Inc.