95% of basidiospores fall within 1 m of the cap: a field-and modeling-based study

Plant establishment patterns suggest that ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) inoculant is not found ubiquitously. The role of animal vectors dispersing viable EMF spores is well documented. Here we investigate the role of wind in basidiospore dispersal for six EMF species, Inocybe lacera, Laccaria laccata, Lactarius rufus, Suillus brevipes, Suillus tomentosus and Thelephora americana. Basidiospores adhered to microscope slides placed on three 60 cm transects radiating from sporocarps. Morphological characteristics of species as well as average basidiospore volume were recorded. Number of basidiospores was quantified at specific distances to produce actual dispersal gradients. We found a negative exponential decay model using characteristics for each species fit the field data well. The 95% modeled downwind dispersal distance of basidiospores was calculated for each species. The 95% modeled downwind dispersal distance increased with increasing cap height and decreasing basidiospore volume for the species sampled, with 95% of basidiospores predicted to fall within 58 cm of the cap. Differences in anatomical characteristics of EMF species influence how far basidiospores are dispersed by wind. We discuss the role of wind dispersal leading to patterns of EMF establishment during primary succession.