Investigations in Tayloria mirabilis spore dispersal via Dipertans in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, Chile

Background/Question/Methods

Splachnaceae are a family of mosses set apart by a coprophilous nature. Many species have characteristic morphological and chemical adaptations to this niche, some of which include brightly colored sporophytes, release of foul smelling volatile organic compounds and sticky, thin walled spores. These characteristics have been seen to attract flies, which then act as a vector for spores dispersal to dung. This relationship, however, has only been recorded in the northern hemisphere. One species of Splachnaceae, Tayloria mirabilis, an endemic to the temperate rainforests of South America, is hypothesized to utilize this specialized dispersal. This research involved investigating the spore dispersal of T. mirabilis in Omora Ethnobotanical Park within the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve in Chile. The main questions of this research were: Which flies are visiting T. mirabilis and are they carrying the spores? Using a simple pit- fall type trap, flies were trapped over T. mirabilis and analyzed with microscopy for spores between Dec 26 2010 and Mar 3 2011. The spores were removed from the flies and germinated on plates. The protonema of these germinated spores were then analyzed by DNA to verify that they were indeed the spores of T. mirabilis.

Results/Conclusions

In all, 218 flies were trapped over T. mirabilis and 63 of these were found to be carrying the spores of T. mirabilis. Seven different species of two different families (Muscidae and Calliphoridae) were identified. Four different Muscidae were identified, all of the Palpibracus genus, while the three remaining Calliphoridae are currently being identified to genus/species level. The spores removed from the flies had 46.66% germination rate and DNA verification supported microscopy observations that the spores removed from the bodies of the flies were the spores of T. mirabilis. We can conclude that T. mirabilis is indeed attracting flies and carrying their spores. A wide diversity of flies visiting the moss and carrying spores suggests that the vector of dispersal is not specific to a single type of dung but more general it its niche. Early observations over different dung types in the forest where T. mirabilis is found support this belief. This is important, as this moss in endemic, but the current large forest mammals are exotic.