Fern spore fall in the ‘Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga (PEFI)’, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

Studies related to spore production and dispersal are scarce but extremely important, as they allow colonisation of new sites and gene flow among different populations. The aim of this study was to investigate fern spore fall in the Parque Estadual das Fontes do Ipiranga (PEFI), a natural reserve in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The analyses were performed every month for one year, using an Oldfield pollen trap, 30 cm above the ground, at four different sites. The method included introducing Lycopodium clavatum tablets, adding hydrofluoric acid and sulphuric acid, and finally adopting the acetolysis method. A total of 17 types of spores were identified. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) did not demonstrate regular patterns of dispersal for each site. Wind influences the spore dispersal process minimally, but there was no significant association between dispersal and the remaining environmental variables. Spores of species uncommon to the area were recorded, perhaps contributing to the colonisation of new areas and helping to understand studies on regeneration and recomposition of ferns and lycophytes in areas undergone anthropic impacts.