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A STATIC NON‐OVERLOAD POLLEN COLLECTOR
Author(s) -
TAUBER HENRIK
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1974.tb04770.x
Subject(s) - pollen , wind tunnel , wind speed , meteorology , environmental science , body orifice , settling , orifice plate , atmospheric sciences , geology , mechanics , physics , engineering , botany , environmental engineering , mechanical engineering , biology
S ummary A static pollen collector developed for unpowered field operation was subjected to wind tunnel tests to assess its sampling efficiency for a range of pollen sizes and varying wind velocities. The pollen collector and the testing procedure is described. It was found that the catch of particles is independent of whether the collector is operated with or without a roof. Within experimental errors the collection of pollen and spores is proportional to the orifice area. The collection efficiencies vary somewhat with size of pollen grains and with wind velocity, but in most cases less so than would be the case with a static sampler operated by impaction. At wind velocities around 2 m/s, which is close to average natural wind speeds in the lower atmosphere in forested areas, collection efficiencies thus are the same for big and small pollen grains. The overall efficiency of the collector is low, as is always the case with an unpowered collector that operates mainly by gravity settling. In return, the collector is designed to give a smooth flow of air over the orifice at all wind velocities and therefore a fairly predictable catch of pollen grains with varying conditions.