Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 96. (Budapest 2004)

Molnár, J., Erdei, B. ; Hably, L.: The transport of leaves and fruits - a taphonomical study of leaf litter

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Volume 96 Budapest, 2004 pp. 2950. The transport of leaves and fruits - a taphonomical study of leaf litter J. MOLNÁR

1

, B. ERDEI

2

* & L. HABLY

2

* 'H-2142 Nagytarcsa, Petőfi Sándor lakótelep 13/g, Hungary 'Department of Botany, Hungarian Natural History

: Museum, H-l

087Budapest, Könyves Kálmán krt. 40. Hungary. E-mails: erdei@bot.nhmus.hu, hably @ bot. nhmus. hit Abstract - Two sample plots with different plant cover were chosen in order to study the transport of plant parts. The total litter content of quadrats set along transections were studied in autumn in the first sample plot (open vegetation) and twice, in autumn and spring in the second sample plot (more closed vegetation). Fruit and leaf distributions were recorded, as well as average weight, surface and density of the leaves in distant and close quadrats were compared. Leaf and fruit distributions of trees in the first sample plot were analized by multivariate methods. The distribution pattern of fruits and leaves in most cases did not correspond to each other. In the second sample plot an ideal quadrat containing the remains of all the taxa of the sample plot was indicated and compared by multivariate method with the autumn and spring quadrats. None of the quadrats agreed with the ideal, however, high ß-diversity of the vegetation is clearly suggested by the diagram. With 20 figures. Keywords - Taphonomy, wind transport, vegetation reconstruction. INTRODUCTION Studies concentrating on the transport of plant parts like leaves and fruits with the use of recent analogous and modell sites started nearly twenty years ago (e.g. FERGUSON 1985). On the one hand these investigations focus on the modes of transport, dispersion and potentials of deposition of plant material based on observations and experimental evidences and on the other hand they analyse the prospects of vegetation reconstruction from the detritus of e.g. recent forest floor litter or organic accumulations of swamps, oxbow lakes etc. (e.g. BURNHAM 1989, BURNHAM & SPICER 1986, FERGUSON 1985, 1995, GASTALDO et al. 1987, 1989, 1996, SPICER & WOLFE 1987, GASTALDO & Hue 1992). In the scope of the present study we have concentrated on two fields based on samples of huge size. On the one hand, transport of the leaves and fraits/seeds of * Corresponding authors.