Morphological traits influencing aerodynamic factors and the long-range transport of Alnus acuminata Kunth. pollen through the atmosphere

Background and aims: This study aims to characterize the size distribution of Alnus acuminata pollen grains as emitted into the air near their source of origin in the southernmost South American Yungas, and to provide estimates of their settling velocity.M&M: The samples were collected on Au...

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Autores principales: Pérez, Claudio, Pérez, Claudio Fabián, Reader, María M., Torres, Gonzalo R., Vazquez, Samuel M., Lupo, Liliana C.
Formato: Artículo revista
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Sociedad Argentina de Botánica 2025
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Acceso en línea:https://revistas.unc.edu.ar/index.php/BSAB/article/view/49834
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Sumario:Background and aims: This study aims to characterize the size distribution of Alnus acuminata pollen grains as emitted into the air near their source of origin in the southernmost South American Yungas, and to provide estimates of their settling velocity.M&M: The samples were collected on August 22, 2023, using a Hirst-type spore trap located 1.6 m above the ground, operated at a constant suction volume of 0.06 m3 h-1. The number of apertures, as well as the polar and equatorial diameters, of 2348 Alnus pollen grains were counted and measured on even hours for each slide using an optical microscope at 1000x final magnification. Results: Alnus pollen grains have 3 to 6 pores, with the most common numbers being 4 pores (37 %) and 5 pores (61 %). The polar diameters range from 12.5 to 20 μm, depending on the time of occurrence. The equatorial diameter varied from 17.5 to 28.5 μm), with no size differences between 4- and 5-pored grains. The estimated settling velocity ranged from 0.59 to 1.48 cm s-1 thus; A. acuminata is dispersed by turbulence similarly to particles with no inertia