Pacific Northwest Research Station

Title: 95% of basidiospores fall within 1 m of the cap: a field- and modeling-based study

Author: Galante, Tera E.; Horton, Thomas R.; Swaney, Dennis P.

Date: 2011

Source: Mycologia. 103(6): 1175-1183

Description: Plant establishment patterns suggest that ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) inoculant is not found ubiquitously. The role of animal vectors dispersing viable EMF spores is well documented. Here we investigate the role of wind in basidiospore dispersal for six EMF species, Inocybe lacera, Laccaria laccata, Lactarius rufus, Suillus brevipes, Suillus tomentosus and Thelephora Americana. Basidiospores adhered to microscope slides placed on three 60 cm transects radiating from sporocarps. Morphological characteristics of species as well as average basidiospore volume were recorded. Number of basidiospores was quantified at specific distances to produce actual dispersal gradients. We found a negative exponential decay model using characteristics for each species fit the field data well. The 95% modeled downwind dispersal distance of basidiospores was calculated for each species. The 95% modeled downwind dispersal distance increased with increasing cap height and decreasing basidiospore volume for the species sampled, with 95% of basidiospores predicted to fall within 58 cm of the cap. Differences in anatomical characteristics of EMF species influence how far basidiospores are dispersed by wind. We discuss the role of wind dispersal leading to patterns of EMF establishment during primary succession.

Keywords: dispersal model, ectomycorrhizal establishment, primary succession, wind dispersal

View and Print this Publication (475.3 KB)

Publication Notes: 

• We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
• This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.
• You may send email to pnw_pnwpubs@fs.fed.us to request a hard copy of this publication. (Please specify exactly which publication you are requesting and your mailing address.)

 Get the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat reader or Acrobat Reader for Windows with Search and Accessibility

Citation

Galante, Tera E.; Horton, Thomas R.; Swaney, Dennis P.  2011.  95% of basidiospores fall within 1 m of the cap: a field- and modeling-based study.   Mycologia. 103(6): 1175-1183.