DISPERSAL OF SOREDIA BY THE ORIBATID MITE, HUMEROBATES ARBOREA

摘要

Frequency of soredia acquisition and deposition by the oribatid mite, Humerobates arborea, was investigated. A survey of tree trunks in five uneven-aged forests in central Maine revealed that 25% of the mites retrieved had soredia adhering to their externa. Presence of a mite in a sorediate lichen patch and soredia acquisition were highly correlated. Mites dusted with Lepraria lobificans soredia deposited it on tree bark and on other lichen species. Dispersal distance from the ''parent lichen'' to a new substrate ranged from 0.1 to 7.1 centimeters. [References: 31]