Long-distance pine pollen still germinates after meso-scale dispersal

Viability of long-distance pollen links ecological models to the genetic structure of forest tree populations, determining how forests will adapt to climate change and how far genes flow from genetically modified (GM) pine plantations. Addressing this landscape-scale inquiry is feasible when the pollen source, the delivery system, and the receiver field can be made explicit. To this end, I measured long-distance pollen germination along a 160-km transect along the North Carolina coastline, including 45000 ha of mature Pinus taeda plantations and barrier islands. Using this system, I tested three hypotheses: (1) pine pollen germinates after dispersal on meso-scale distances, (2) sodium chloride exposure reduces germination of pollen captured over open saltwater, and (3) viable pine pollen is present at high altitudes before local peak pollen shed. The experimental findings are as follows: pine pollen had germination rates of 2 to 57% after dispersal at distances from 3 to 41 km, sodium chloride solutions mildly reduced P. taeda pollen germination, and viable pine pollen grains were captured at an altitude of 610 m. GM pine plantings thus have a potential to disperse viable pollen at least 41 km from the source. Wind and rainfall, as integral parts of regional atmospheric systems, together exert a powerful influence on the genetic structure of forest tree populations.