Automated Spore Collector

About

About Little is known about the distance or frequency of dispersal events in the majority of lichen species. In the field of non-lichenized fungi, spore traps have been used to catch airborne propagules, and when combined with genetic techniques to confirm species identity, these techniques have been used to gain insight into the scale of dispersal events (both spatial and temporal). A similar method was proposed in order to learn more about dispersal in a suite of epiphytic lichens, the spores/propagules of which range from 108 µm2 to 40000 µm2 in size and are emitted through-out the year at a rate of between zero and many hundred per day. Collecting such small and intermittently emitted particles requires a high through put system capable of trapping on impact. In addition, a number of traps would need to be deployed at the same time to enable a comprehensive sampling design. Researchers at the University of Glasgow have designed a small, easy to use spore trap, capable of sampling 0.28 m3 of air per min with a motor speed of 1800 rpm, the equivalent of 407,000 litres per day on continuous mode and 203,500 litres per day on interval mode, over a total surface area of 10cm2. The spinning motion pulls air in from both above and below the device, trapping any airborne spores in a thin layer of petroleum jelly that coats the front most face of the sampling arms. Impactor type traps such as this are ideal for sampling airborne particles larger than approx. 100 µm2 (such as lichen spores/propagules), with smaller particles being deflected around the rotating arms. Post deployment, the layer of petroleum jelly can be transferred from the arms of the spore trap into an Eppendorf tube for DNA extraction. Key Benefits Cost effective: low cost in comparison to other spore traps available on the market Capable of trapping continuously over short periods (up to 24hrs) or intermittently for longer periods (up to 72 hours) Withstands the outdoor field environment all year and related weather conditions Processes a high throughput of air Applications The technology is a major advance in the field of capturing spores and the new instrument has a wide range of potential scientific and non-scientific applications. IP Status This project seeks to develop the prototype Automated Spore collector (ASC) that would enable the collection of small and intermittently emitted particles. This would represent a major advance on the capabilities and utility of current spore collecting solutions. As such, the proposed technology has real potential to revolutionise the study of confirming the species identity and opening up exciting new areas of research. Contact is welcomed from organisations interested in developing or exploiting this technology with a view to commercialisation.