As I understand this is more of a mechanism for controlling the production of seeds. The idea is simple: producing seeds increases the population of seed-eating

As I understand this is more of a mechanism for controlling the production of seeds. The idea is simple: producing seeds increases the population of seed-eating animals. But if the trees coordinate and keep on releasing few seeds, then many all of a sudden, then animals will be overwhelmed by the food supply and much of it will go to uneaten, therefore more seeds will germinate. Next breeding cycle there may be more animals (because the forests were all-you-can-eat buffets), but the seeds supply will be low again, reducing the animal population. I'm not sure what's the specific mechanism of coordination (i.e. the specific signal that selects the many-seeds years), the article does not explain it. But it coincided with very high temperatures this year, on top of the persistently increased CO2 levels in the atmosphere (plants love the CO2 levels we've generated).