Pollen dispersal and representation in a neotropical rain forest |
| |
Authors: | MARK BUSH & ROBERT RIVERA |
| |
Institution: | Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32905 U.S.A. e-mail;Department of Botany, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, NC 27708 U.S.A. |
| |
Abstract: | Results of 3 years of pollen trapping on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, are presented. Minimum pollen dispersal distances are estimated for the most abundant pollen taxa. Dispersal distances for some taxa appear to be as low as 5 m, while for other taxa at least 50% of the trapped pollen had travelled more than 40 m. No consistent pattern of spatial variation was reflected in the pollen rain, however, samples close to large canopy gaps had exceptional abundances of 'disturbance' taxa. A preliminary analysis of the representation of canopy components indicates that as much as 19% of pollen caught in the traps was derived from large tree species. |
| |
Keywords: | Barro Colorado Island Panama pollen dispersal pollen trap tropical rain forest |
|
|