Does spore ultrastructure mirror different dispersal strategies in mosses? A study of seven iberian orthotrichum species.

ABSTRACT: Most mosses have xerochastic dispersal (i.e., they open their capsules when conditions are dry), which is thought to favor long-distance dispersal. However, there are several species that use a hygrochastic strategy: spores are dispersed when conditions are wet. The significance of this strategy in the Mediterranean region is unknown. In this study, we explored whether ultrastructural features related to differences in spore resistance may explain these different strategies of spore dispersal. To this end, we examined the ultrastructural features of the spores of seven closely related species in the moss genus Orthotrichum. These species all grow as epiphytes in sub-Mediterranean forests, and the group includes both xerochastic and hygrochastic members. First, we found that the spore wall

SUBMITTER: Medina NG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4239030 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature