Abstract
Methodological papers advise to collect moss surface samples either at the beginning or at the end of the flowering season. In reality, such collections occur often within the flowering season for purposes of vegetation description or because of accessibility of remote study areas. Here we test whether the season of moss surface sample collection has an influence on pollen spectra. Ten moss/litter samples were collected in different habitats of the natural reserve ‘Spasskaya Gora’ (Perm region, Russia) in July and September from the same locations exactly. The results show that pollen assemblages reflect well the present dominant vegetation of Pinus-Betula-forests and grasslands and demonstrate differences between open and forested areas as well as between abandoned fodder meadows and semi-natural hay meadows in use. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon tests demonstrate that the dominant pollen taxa Pinus diploxylon-type, Betula and Poaceae as well as the rarefied number of pollen taxa do not differ significantly between seasons, while values of Artemisia are significantly higher in September. A significant decrease in pollen concentration in September indicates the importance of washing-out of pollen by precipitation. PCA results demonstrate the similarity of the pollen spectra between the seasons. Based on our results, we conclude that the season of surface sample collection does not significantly influence the pollen assemblages and appropriate field studies can be carried out in summer during the flowering season. However, we strongly recommend to collect bulk samples of mosses with basal parts and/or litter with surface soils in order to ensure representation of the average pollen signal for the previous years and to dilute local extremes in the pollen deposition.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Pollen assemblages reflected dominant Pinus-Betula forest and grassland vegetation.
Verbatim
e0“pollen assemblages reflect well the present dominant vegetation of Pinus-Betula-forests and grasslands”
Claim · model-written summary
Pollen assemblages differed between open and forested areas.
- Outcome
- differences between open and forested arease0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“demonstrate differences between open and forested areas”
Claim · model-written summary
Pollen assemblages differed between abandoned fodder and semi-natural hay meadows.
- Outcome
- between abandoned fodder meadows and semi-natural hay meadows in usee0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“between abandoned fodder meadows and semi-natural hay meadows in use”
Claim · model-written summary
Dominant Pinus diploxylon-type, Betula and Poaceae pollen taxa did not differ significantly between seasons.
Verbatim
e0“the dominant pollen taxa Pinus diploxylon-type, Betula and Poaceae as well as the rarefied number of pollen taxa do not differ significantly between seasons”
Claim · model-written summary
The rarefied number of pollen taxa did not differ significantly between seasons.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“the rarefied number of pollen taxa do not differ significantly between seasons”
Claim · model-written summary
Artemisia pollen values were significantly higher in September.
ArtemisiaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“values of Artemisia are significantly higher in September”
Claim · model-written summary
Pollen concentration decreased significantly in September.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“A significant decrease in pollen concentration in September”
Claim · model-written summary
PCA indicated similar pollen spectra between seasons.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“PCA results demonstrate the similarity of the pollen spectra between the seasons”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors concluded collection season does not significantly influence pollen assemblages.
- Outcome
- pollen assemblagese0
- Direction
- does not significantly influencee0
- Comparator
- season of surface sample collectione0
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“the season of surface sample collection does not significantly influence the pollen assemblages”
Claim · model-written summary
Field studies can be carried out during the summer flowering season.
Verbatim
e0“appropriate field studies can be carried out in summer during the flowering season”
t0“moss surface sample collection”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend bulk moss samples with basal parts and/or litter with surface soils.
- Outcome
- collect bulk samples of mosses with basal parts and/or litter with surface soilse0
Verbatim
e0“we strongly recommend to collect bulk samples of mosses with basal parts and/or litter with surface soils”