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35. Brown, Jr. R. M., 1971. Studies of Hawaiian
fresh-water and soil algae. I. the atmospheric dispersal of algae
and fern spores across the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Contributions
in Phycology. Sept. 1971, 175-188.
35. Summary
The distribution of air-borne algae and fern spores over
the island of Oahu, Hawaii, was studied by the detection of viable impactions on
the surface of selected agarized
growth media. During the summers of 1964 and 1965, twelve different
sampling runs were made along a transect from Honolulu to Kailua
Beach. Air passing over the windward side of Oahu at Kailua Beach
is devoid of algae. Two fallout peaks of air-borne algae occur,
one on the windward and the other on the leeward side of the island.
It was suggested that these peaks represent cumulative build-up
of soil-borne algae and that the leeward peak consists of windward-dispersed
algae in addition to the leeward build-up. Generic diversity
coincided with quantitative distribution over the transect route.
Some genera were found in all sampling stations while others
were restricted to either the leeward, windward, or mid regions
of Oahu. The principal distribution of fern spores was limited
to the windward side of Oahu, and this was thought to be due to
the larger size of the fern spore and to the specific dispersal
mechanism directly associated with the limited distribution of
fern sporophytes. The distribution pattern of algae and fern
spores was discussed in relation to such physical factors as mountain
barriers and various meteorological parameters. It was suggested
that Hawaii provides a model system for future study of air-borne
microbes, especially in relation to soil microbes and their evolutionary
history in these geologically young land masses.
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