Moss protonemata are dispersed by water, wind, and snails

Mosses produce asexual propagules, which are dispersed, thus allowing population establishment and maintenance. However, it is unknown if or how protonemata-one of their asexually produced propagules-are dispersed. Moss protonemata were exposed to three dispersal vectors (water, wind, and snails) to describe the dispersal capability and survival after dispersal.

The protonemata of mosses Callicostella belangeriana and Taxiphyllum taxirameum were splashed with water drops from a 1 or 2 m height, exposed to two wind velocities (V₁ = 2.74 mps and V₂ = 3.76 mps), and fed to terrestrial snails. Dispersal of protonemata was described for wind and water by studying the dispersal distance and the relationships between protonemata sizes and dispersal distances. Survival after dispersal was recorded for the three vectors.

Water and wind dispersed protonemata up to 80 and 265.5 cm, respectively. The protonemata dispersed the farthest distance when splashed by 2 m drops and hit by V₂ wind velocities. No, or little, relationship between protonemata size and dispersal distance was found for the water and wind vectors. Protonemata survived and became established after dispersal: survival was high when dispersed by water and snails, but was low for wind.

For the first time, it was shown that protonemata are dispersed mostly close to the source, which is suggested to aid in moss population maintenance.