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Shiro TSUYUZAKI
Plant community ecology / Environmental conservation

Mount Usu / Sarobetsu post-mined peatland
From left: Crater basin in 1986 and 2006. Cottongrass / Daylily

(Update on August 10 2007. Revised on October 20 2009)

Seed trap

Importance of uisng seed traps

To estimate what species disperse how many seeds to where, we have to capture seeds in various locations. To capture seeds effectively, we have to develop more precise traps. There are two types of seed traps, dry and wet types. Every seed trap has advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, when we decide what types of seed traps we use, we must consider what is our major interest in the study. Seed traps are often used as litter traps.


Dry-typed seed trap

Forest (widely used)

This is a popular tool for collecting seeds in less-wind ecosystems, such as well-delveoped forsets. The target seeds were gravity-dispersal seeds, e.g., acorns, and this type works well. However, light seeds, such as wind-dispersed seeds, escape from the traps. To increase high seed recovery rate, we have to invent more excellent traps.

trap
A seed trap established in a forest on Mt. Makiling, Los Banos, Philippines. Photo taken on Dec. 17 1997.


Wet-typed seed trap

To avoid seeds that escape from the inside of traps, sticky materials are paseted on the surface of traps. To increase seed recovery, we have to change seed traps frequently, in particular, when we set them up in dusty habitats.


trap
Seed traps set up in an abondoned peat-mined site on Sarotetsu wetland by A. Koyama. The traps were set up on the center, edge and flat of tusscoks. Photo taken on July 5, 2007


References

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