Dispersal of Airborne Pollen in Chatienshan Nature Reserve, Northern Taiwan, with Emphasis on Taiwan Beech

• Main Authors: Chuan Ku, Liang-Chi Wang, Su-Hwa Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: National Taiwan University 2012-12-01
• Series: Taiwania
• Subjects: Aeropalynology; airborne pollen; Fagus hayatae; pollen rain; pollen trap; Taiwan
• Online Access: http://tai2.ntu.edu.tw/taiwania/abstract.php?type=abstract&id=1196

In this first study on the pollen rain in natural forest in Taiwan using pollen traps, the dispersal patterns of airborne pollen were determined, with emphasis on Fagus hayatae and some major plant species, and the relationship between pollen assemblages and vegetation was elucidated. Seventeen pollen traps were installed on the western slope of Mt. Takai, northern Taiwan, from March 21 to May 10, 2008. Pollen and spores belonging to 37 families and 43 genera were identified. The results of correspondence analysis suggested differentiation of three vertical zones of pollen assemblages that corresponded to three vegetation types. Three patterns of occurrence were identified for the major pollen taxa, namely ubiquitous occurrence, local occurrence, and peak occurrence. The pollen influx of F. hayatae, a taxon characterized by local occurrence, was remarkably lower at a distance of over 200 m away from the pure stands. This suggests that pollen-mediated gene flow between the beech populations in Taiwan is unlikely. Besides providing basic data on the pollen dispersal of some important taxa in the middle altitudes of Taiwan, the present study also points out that caution should be taken in interpreting pollen percentage data from sediments.