Spore rain in relation to regional sources and beyond

摘要: While patterns of spore dispersal from single sources at short distances are fairly well known, information about rain' numerous and larger spatial scales is generally lacking. In this study, I sampled rain using a novel method consisting 0.250.5 m2 cotton cloth traps nine sites in the boreo-nemoral vegetation zone eastern Sweden during two seasons, Sphagnum spores as model. Traps were located various landscapes (mainland, islands). Additional trapping was done an arctic area (Svalbard) without production. Spore densities tested against distance nearest source (open peatlands) within different radii around each site (5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 km). The appeared reliable when accounting for precipitation losses, retaining approximately 2060% under recorded amounts precipitation. Estimated ranged 6 million season large source, via regional deposition 50 000240 000 m2, down to 1000 Svalbard. all strongly related but excluding samples taken peatland, amount 200 km most important. Spores isolated island sites, indicating that higher proportion originated distant, humid areas. Immense dispersed across annually boreal areas, explaining success genus colonise nutrient poor wetlands. detectable Svalbard indicates 1% has trans- or intercontinental origin. rain, originating landscape, probably valid organisms with small diaspores provides useful insight ecology, habitat restoration conservation planning.