초록 ▼

A method for delivering plant seed material to a target placement surface is described. The method comprises utilizing a core material and combining plant seed material with the core material to create a vector. A plurality of vectors are delivered to a target placement surface but a barrier layer o

A method for delivering plant seed material to a target placement surface is described. The method comprises utilizing a core material and combining plant seed material with the core material to create a vector. A plurality of vectors are delivered to a target placement surface but a barrier layer of vectors is not created.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method of delivering plant seed material to a target placement surface, comprising: utilizing a core material comprised of one or more earthen, biological, or manmade materials; combining plant seed material with said core material to utilize said core material as a vector

What is claimed is: 1. A method of delivering plant seed material to a target placement surface, comprising: utilizing a core material comprised of one or more earthen, biological, or manmade materials; combining plant seed material with said core material to utilize said core material as a vector for said plant seed material; and delivering a plurality of said vectors to a target placement surface but preventing said vectors from forming a barrier layer over said target placement surface; wherein a vector mixture is created by mixing vectors carrying a specific type of plant seed material with vectors carrying at least one other type of plant seed material in a pre-determined ratio before said vectors are distributed over said target placement surface. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said earthen, biological or manmade materials for said core material vary in density, shape, size, composition, surface texture, or porosity. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said vectors facilitate placing said plant seed material in a predetermined pattern, a predetermined quantity, a predetermined location or placing a predetermined blend of plant species in an area. 4. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material is spatially distributed on said target placement surface by manipulating the quantity of said plant seed material attached to a single vector. 5. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material is spatially distributed on said target placement surface by manipulating the number of individual vectors placed over said target placement surface. 6. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material is spatially distributed on said target placement surface by manipulating the spacing of said individual vectors that carry said plant seed material over said target placement surface. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein less than 50 vectors per square foot are delivered to said target placement surface. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said vectors cover less than approximately 20 percent of said target placement surface. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said vectors are scattered over said target placement surface and said vectors are not in contact with one another. 10. A method of claim 1, wherein said vectors are distributed with a hand-held broadcaster, a tow-behind spreader or manual distribution. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said vectors further comprises a material located about said core. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of said vectors further comprises a binding agent which promotes adhesion of said material located about said core and said plant seed material to said core material. 13. A method of claim 11, wherein when said vector comes into contact with moisture, said material located about said core becomes sticky thereby anchoring said vector in place on said target placement surface. 14. A method of claim 11, wherein when said vector comes into contact with moisture, said material located about said core expands and exposes said plant seed material to light. 15. A method of claim 11, wherein said material located about said core supports germination of said plant seed material on said target placement surface. 16. A method of claim 11, wherein said material located about said core includes growth constituents comprising macronutrients, micronutrients, or fertilizers. 17. A method of claim 11, wherein said material located about said core comprises materials to make said vector unappealing to animals to reduce foraging, predation, or herbivory of said plant seed material. 18. The method of claim 11, wherein said vectors are scattered over said target placement surface at a predetermined coverage rate such that when said plant seed material germinates and resulting plants mature, the roots of said plants grow into said fine-grained material or said target placement surface but not into adjacent vectors. 19. The method of claim 11, wherein said material located about said core disassociates once said fine-grained material is exposed to water for a period of time. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said period of time is at least several minutes to at most several hours. 21. The method of claim 1, wherein said core material has sufficient mass to anchor said vector to said target placement surface. 22. The method of claim 1, wherein said vector has a density greater than the density of freshwater, the density of brackish water or the density of full saline water so that said vector sinks in any type of water. 23. The method of claim 1, wherein an individual vector ranges in size from approximately 0.25 inches to 3.25 inches. 24. The method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material is located outwardly from said core material so that said core material itself contains no plant seed material. 25. The method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material includes either sexual reproductive structures, asexual reproductive structures or a combination of sexual reproductive structures and asexual reproductive structures. 26. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material comprises a single plant seed on an individual vector. 27. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material comprises multiple plant seeds on an individual vector. 28. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material is one or more plant seeds associated with one or more plant species. 29. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material is delivered to an inundated target placement surface by said vector. 30. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material is delivered to a saturated target placement surface by said vector. 31. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material is delivered to a non-saturated target placement surface by said vector. 32. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material of an aquatic submerged or floating-leaved species is delivered by said vector. 33. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material of a terrestrial or upland plant species is delivered by said vector. 34. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material is delivered to a target placement surface that is in a freshwater, brackish, or full saline environment. 35. A method of claim 1, wherein said plant seed material that has been pre-treated, stratified, or physically or chemically manipulated to break natural dormancy and encourage germination of said plant seed material is delivered by said vector. 36. A method according to claim 1, wherein said plant seed material that is dormant, hard, or has not been treated to break the natural dormancy and encourage germination of said plant seed material is delivered by said vector. 37. A method of claim 1, wherein said vector delivers a blend of said plant seed material which has been pre-treated, stratified, or physically or chemically manipulated to break natural dormancy and encourage germination of said plant seed material in combination with plant seed material that is dormant, or has not been treated to break the natural dormancy of said plant seed material. 38. A method of delivering plant seed material to a target placement surface, comprising: utilizing a core material comprised of one or more earthen, biological, or manmade materials that vary in density, shape, size, composition, surface texture or porosity; utilizing a material located about said core to secure plant seed material to said core material to utilize said core material as a vector for said plant seed material; utilizing at least one binding agent to promote adhesion of said fine-grained material to said core; and scattering a predetermined number of said vectors across a target placement surface so as not to form a barrier of said vectors over said target placement surface and so that individual plants that grow from individual vectors are not in contact with one another on said target placement surface. 39. A method of claim 38, wherein said plant seed material is spatially distributed on said target placement surface by manipulating the quantity of said plant seed material attached to a single vector. 40. A method of claim 38, wherein said plant seed material is spatially distributed on said target placement surface by manipulating the number of individual vectors placed over said target placement surface. 41. A method of claim 38, wherein said plant seed material is spatially distributed on said target placement surface by manipulating the spacing of said individual vectors that carry said plant seed material over said target placement surface. 42. The method of claim 38, wherein said vectors cover less than approximately 20 percent of the total area of said target placement surface. 43. The method of claim 38, wherein said vectors are scattered over said target placement surface so that individual vectors do not contact one another. 44. A method of claim 38, wherein when said vector comes into contact with moisture, said material located about said core anchors said vector in place on said target placement surface. 45. A method of claim 38, wherein a vector mixture is created by mixing vectors carrying a specific type of said plant seed material with vectors carrying at least one other type of said plant seed material in a pre-determined ratio before said vectors are distributed over said target placement surface. 46. The method of claim 38, wherein said vectors are scattered over said target placement surface at a predetermined coverage rate such that when said plant seed material germinates and resulting plants mature, the roots of said plants grow into said fine-grained material and/or said target placement surface but not into adjacent vectors. 47. The method of claim 38, wherein said core has sufficient mass to anchor said vector to said target placement surface. 48. The method of claim 38, wherein said vector has a density greater than the density of freshwater, the density of brackish water or the density of full saline water so that said vector sinks in any type of water. 49. The method of claim 38, wherein an individual vector ranges in size from approximately 0.25 inches to 3.25 inches. 50. The method of claim 38, wherein said fine-grained material disassociates once said fine-grained material is exposed to water for a period of time. 51. The method of claim 50, wherein said period of time is at least several minutes to at most several hours. 52. The method of claim 38, wherein said plant seed material is located outwardly from said core so that said core itself contains no plant seed material. 53. A method of claim 38, wherein said plant seed material is a single plant seed on an individual vector. 54. A method of claim 38, wherein said plant seed material comprises multiple plant seeds on an individual vector. 55. A method of delivering plant seed material to a target placement surface, comprising: utilizing a plurality of vectors each comprised of a core and a fine-grained material carrying plant seed material about said core; scattering said vectors across a target placement surface so as not to form a barrier of vectors across said target placement surface; and disassociating said fine-grained material from said core with water on said target placement surface; wherein a vector mixture is created by mixing vectors carrying a specific type of plant seed material with vectors carrying at least one other type of plant seed material in a pre-determined ratio before said vectors are distributed over said target placement surface. 56. A method of claim 55, wherein said plant seed material is spatially distributed on said target placement surface by manipulating the quantity of plant seed material attached to a single vector. 57. A method of claim 55, wherein said plant seed material is spatially distributed on said target placement surface by manipulating the number of individual vectors placed over said target placement surface. 58. A method of claim 55, wherein said plant seed material is spatially distributed on said target placement surface by manipulating the spacing of said individual vectors that carry said plant seed material over said target placement surface. 59. The method of claim 55, wherein said vectors cover less than approximately 20 percent of said target placement surface. 60. The method of claim 55, wherein said vectors are scattered over said target placement surface so that individual vectors do not contact one another. 61. A method of claim 55, wherein when said vector comes into contact with moisture, said relatively fine-grained material becomes sticky thereby anchoring said vector in place on said target placement surface. 62. A method of claim 55, wherein a vector mixture is created by mixing vectors carrying a specific type of plant seed material with vectors carrying at least one other type of plant seed material in a pre-determined ratio before said vectors are distributed over said target placement surface. 63. The method of claim 55, wherein said vectors are scattered over said target placement surface at a predetermined coverage rate such that when said plant seed material germinates and resulting plants mature, the roots of said plants grow into said fine-grained material and/or said target placement surface and not into adjacent vectors. 64. The method of claim 55, wherein said core has sufficient mass to anchor said vector to said target placement surface. 65. The method of claim 55, wherein said vector has a density greater than the density of freshwater, the density of brackish water or the density of full saline water so that said vector sinks in any type of water. 66. The method of claim 55, wherein an individual vectors ranges in size from approximately 0.25 inches to 3.25 inches. 67. The method of claim 55, wherein said plant seed material is located outwardly from said core so that said core itself contains no plant seed material. 68. A method of claim 55, wherein said plant seed material is a single plant seed on an individual vector. 69. A method of claim 55, wherein said plant seed material comprises multiple plant seeds on an individual vector.